Cheshire grin
by Five seas
Summary: Seto tries to turn on a new leaf, when he realizes that Yugi and Co. have somehow followed him to the same university. It can't get any worse, right? Wrong. Guess what happens when a pretty girl on a mission sets out to get him? Exactly...
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Yu-gi-oh or Shaman King. Enjoy the cracky goodness.

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The same new beginnings

The first day of the new semester. For the juniors, the first day of their four or more years in university, the milestone that marked their life as adults. And whoever decided that it was a good idea to start on the first of September, he deserved to be blessed for picking the one time in the year when the weather would be just perfect. It wasn't too cold, since summer still lingered in the air, but it wasn't too stuffy either because autumn was slowly coming on stage, bringing a breath of freshness into the air.

Seto Kaiba paused before the doors of the huge building, taking in the view slowly, enjoying the combination of classic lines and lively colors. He'd read in the guide that the oak trees were at least fifty years older than the building, but it was hard for him to comprehend how they managed to construct such a beautiful university without disturbing the natural serenity of the park. Then again, people had a different way of doing things before.

Rich red and gold combined with fresh verdure, pleasing whatever eyes glanced at their direction. He deliberately slowed his pace so that he could enjoy the atmosphere, glance up the ancient trees and breathe in the scent of old wood and dying grass. It would've been more poetic if the nature was just coming to life after a long winter, the birds singing up amongst the budding cherry blossoms and flowers opening shyly to the sun, but Seto found spring a little too exuberant for his taste. He preferred the quiet days of autumn, when even time flowed slowly, as if to torture students and allowing man to think about the true values of life. In such moments, he felt more in his element into his little bubble of quiet solitude, and it was easier to ignore the general opinion that he was a freak.

Yes, he thought as he walked through the door of the building, this is just the place for me.

* * *

The day passed as predictably as it could. There was an opening ceremony, the prize pupils gave speeches that were supposed to inspire the juniors into pursuing an excellent academic career and do nothing but study, study, study. He tried hard not to look disdainful-after all, it would be an unnecessary complication if people called him a haughty prick for another four years.

But he didn't try to listen too hard. Why should he, after all? If he did, he would only get irritated with the mediocre words of mediocre people. How could he even try to be impressed at accomplishments he himself could reach in record time? Of course, one would ask himself why would he waste his time with a curriculum he could've taken on ages ago, but it was his firm belief that he couldn't run a billiard dollar company and be a kid genius at the same time, at least without taking on unnecessary risks. What was more, he didn't like the idea of being the little elite freak when he had to work with people nearly every day, people whose opinion determined whether they would make business with him or not. Somehow, being a young CEO was taken a little better than being a young freakish CEO.

After the introduction ceremony, the upperclassmen gave the first-years a tour around campus, showed them the dorms, explained the rules and then let them settle in. Kaiba quickly arranged his things, having chosen only the greatest necessities to take with him, and looked around the room carefully.

Everything was small-a narrow bed, a short desk and a couple of bookshelves made up the whole furniture. He would definitely have to make changes to his lifestyle, at least as far as purchases were concerned. Perhaps he could've had more space if he agreed to share a room with somebody, but he wasn't that open to change. He'd just have to get used to it-living in the Kaiba mansion made him forget that there was something called need into the world and he didn't want to lose his sobriety of thought.

Oh well…if work started piling up he could look into taking an apartment nearby. It couldn't be that hard.

* * *

A knock on the door pulled him out of his thoughts and he walked towards it to look who that was. Trying hard to get into an 'open' mood, he opened the door and, to his credit, didn't scowl.

For about three seconds.

"What are you doing here?" he said, looking from under his nose at the little group in the hallway. Which, by the way, wasn't that easy since Yugi Moutou actually grew up.

"Oh, man, Kaiba, aren't you tired of having that stick up your ass?" Joey asked, his brow quizzical.

"Yeah, man, aren't you happy to see familiar faces?" Tristan added. Seto's eyebrow twitched for a split second-these two deserved to be nicknamed Rosencrantz and Gilderstein with the way their lines went, but they hardly deserved anything as refined. At least until they could understand what he was talking about.

"I distinctly remember hearing that you two didn't intend to continue to college." He replied evenly "And weren't you going to New York, Yugi?"

"I was, but a college nearby offered Tea a scholarship and I decided to take this one instead." The boy beamed.

"All of you decided to come to the same place?" he wondered if he sounded a little too bitchy for a guy "I doubt that schools would kill for those two idiots."

"Jeez, what got you into such a pissy mood today?" Joey asked, grinning like a dog in front of a bowl of minced meat with his name on it "Come on, Kaiba, aren't you glad to see your old buddies again? Now it'll be just like high school!"

"Wouldn't it be great?" Yugi smiled "Now you wouldn't have to worry about spending time with people you don't know!"

Seto's eyebrow twitched angrily, but that was as far as he let his feelings to surface. If there was one thing Kaibas prided themselves with, it was their self-control, and in that aspect, he was a Kaiba down to his manicured nails. So he handled the situation with enough decorum and managed to hold off his nerves until Yugi and his band of cheerleaders were out of sight….and then he stomped out of the building as fast as he could.

* * *

People turned around to look at him questioningly, but he didn't care. To his credit, he didn't look any different than his normal haughty self as he left the trail and entered deeper into the park (God bless whoever made it to take up a whole hill), taking a note on the markings that showed the path so that he wouldn't get lost. He kept stomping around until he found a clearing that suited his purposes best, then slowed his pace to a halt.

Seto inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled. Inhale, exhale. Always know your surroundings, that's what his martial arts master told him. You can never be too sure. But right now, he didn't want to be sure. He needed to let got of the steam, and knowing that he was too far off for people to hear was enough for him. Damn those people who couldn't leave him alone. And damn Yugi for not being able to live a day away from Tea. Honestly, hadn't those people heard of independence? The more he thought about it, the more he felt they had done this to piss him off.

"Hey, you up there!" he yelled straight at the sky "I don't know what kind of sick games do you like to play to spend your time, but keep them away from me, do you hear?! I've got enough on my mind to deal with the same lame, peanut-brained idiots for another four years and you know it! Weren't there enough fucking schools in America to send them to? I don't know what or how you're even thinking, but I want you to take those cretins away from me immediately, or else I swear, I'll make sure Judas looked like a shy virgin in comparison!!!"

He took another breath, ignoring the sharp pain into his throat and prepared for another four minutes of the same triad, when a soft, melodic voice spoke up:

"Oh my, that would be a great shame. Care to tell me who pissed you up so much so that I can do something about it?"

Seto turned around, startled, and stared at the tree from where those words had come.

"Who are you?" he asked, composing himself enough to speak calmly "Show yourself immediately!"

"My, my, you don't have to get so bossy, darling, I'm right here." The voice continued and a head emerged upside down from the rich leafage.

He wasn't quite sure whether it was male, female, or human at all, but if God ever decided to show himself into some physical form, he would've probably chosen something like this one. The mouth grinned and the eyes twinkled impishly, before a pair of legs hung from the other side of the branch and the head disappeared only to appear attached to the rest of the body as the person reached the ground as lightly as she was a ballerina. Then she turned around to face him fully, her expression still full of mischief.

The day, obviously, was all about self-control, because Kaiba had to use every last drop of control to keep from staring-the woman in front of him looked like she'd just stepped out of Boticelli's "Birth of Venus", although she had a lot more clothes on than the goddess from the famous painting…However, her white blazer and shorts were currently in a disarray, as if she'd put them on in a hurry, though he could hardly imagine what could she possibly have done up on that tree that would've caused a change of attire.

No, wait, he did recall reading something about a new type of outdoors sport…there were sex, police, bullets and dogs mentioned but…ah, yes "Dogging a bullet". Although the ones who practiced it usually took less…private spots for their activities.

"Like what you see, sugar?" she asked coyly. Kaiba cursed himself-when the hell had his gaze dropped from her face down to her open blouse? Ah, hell, he was pissed, and if the rest of what he could see from his vintage point was as nice, nobody could blame him for enjoying it.

She, at least, wasn't willing to do so, although her hands came up and fixed her attire with a couple of economical, practiced movements. Something in him grumbled angrily, but he affectedly ignored it.

"Well?" she repeated, still grinning

"Not at all. And unless you really are God or some of his subordinates that has come to relieve my suffering, I will have to inform you that you're trespassing on private property."

"Yeah? What makes you think I'm not one of your new classmates in this flashy university?" she retorted, taking a few steps forward

"Because it's a boys only school." He replied, also advancing enough to come face to face with her. She was taller than most of the girls he knew, he didn't hover above her with more than…half a head. In truth, he wasn't sure if he had seen anything like her before. Luscious blond hair, pulled back into a baroque hairstyle, thin neck, graceful build, all crowned with a perfectly feminine face. Her features were a tad irregular-a thin nose and even thinner mouth with raspberry colored lips, large eyes in a steely gray that twisted the light mischievously as she continued to grin like an evil little spirit.

It didn't occur to him that he noticed all those things in less than a second, because they gave him a ready answer to her next question. "What makes you think I'm not one?"

"Unless you are willing to show me whether you have the necessary attributes to be male, I won't believe it."

His lips quirked into a self-content smirk, but it quickly vanished when she stepped even closer, practically breathing in his face. "How about you check it out yourself?"

His eyes narrowed dangerously, warning her that if she dared take another step into his private space, she would be punished…but all the while he didn't open his mouth to chase her away. It felt as if he'd lost the ability to speak. What was she?

Just as he'd gathered up his wits enough to say something, a squeaky, girl voice piped out from the tree the stranger had just appeared from:

"Sharona, who is it?"

"Don't worry, Debby, just a hot, sexy guy with blue eyes decided to appear on our clearing." She responded, turning away from him and moving swiftly towards the tree "Here, darling, let me help you with that."

A tiny, shaking leg emerged from the leafage to be supported on her shoulder, then the rest of the girl came down on the ground, aided by the blond-haired woman. Debby turned around to face him, her entire body turning bright red with embarrassment. Her eyes zapped from one part of the clearing to another, like a mouse that had just realized she'd been caught with a large chunk of cheese by the house cat.

Unlike "Sharona", the girl that had come down from the tree was extraordinarily…unimpressive. Her uniform was similar to her…companion's, but she filled out a bit too much of it; her features were regular, even plain, and her expression was so meek it could give Tea Gardner a run for her money.

Ridiculous.

"_What could she possibly see in a girl like that."_ He wondered, before mentally slapping himself _"Seto Kaiba, you just did NOT think that!" _

"I…um…I…um…I'm sorry, I'll be going now!" the girl exclaimed, before dashing off. Her clothes were just as messed up as her friend, but she seemed to care even less. "Thank you for the help, Sharona!" she yelled over her shoulder

"You're welcome." The blond responded, waving her hand in a friendly manner, as she reached above her head with the other and retrieved a schoolbag. "She's a lovely girl, isn't she?"

"Who?" he asked, finally able to retrieve some of his usual composure

"Debby, of course." She replied, popping down, cross-legged on the ground with the bag in her lap "Lovely, isn't she? Too bad the poor thing has a problem with her self-esteem."

"You can't tell by looking." He replied, sarcasm dripping from every syllable he spoke. "Is that what you two were doing up that tree? You were helping her build up her self-esteem?"

"Yeah, we sure did." she said with a grin "But I'm not telling you, not for anything in the world."

"Really?" he said, sarcasm reeking in each syllable

"Not unless you force me." came the answer, although the look on her face told right the opposite.

"You…Oh, for Christ's sakes!" Kaiba yelled "If you don't stop posing lewd suggestions right now, I swear, I'll file a sexual harassment complaint against you!"

"You'll need a last name for that, no?" she laughed "And I was just being friendly. Wouldn't you like to make new ties when you come to a new place? I certainly know it can be quite hostile."

"Foolish woman!" he snarled "Do you not know who I am?"

"Will you tell me? I promise I won't file any complaints in the police." She answered.

"Go to Hell!" he grunted, before turning around his heel and walking towards the place from where he'd come from.

"That's a strange name? French maybe?" she asked after him, but got nothing but an angry growl for answer. She listened to his stomping back towards the university, then popped back on her elbows and grinned. His steps graduately became quiet and she heard him no longer, but she still looked at the spot from where he had left. Then, she whipped her head back and laughed, loudly and heartedly. The half-eaten fruit was carefully put into a plastic bag and shoved back into the bag, which was afterwards used as a makeshift pillow for its mistress.

Sharona let out a self-satisfied smile, her slender fingers tracing the buttons of her blouse, playing with the bottom one mindlessly as she mused over the encounter. Then, she reached back and pulled out a photo and a folded sheet of paper. The latter was an early picture of Seto, taken during his duel with Maximilian Pegasus during the Battle Kingdom tournament, and the former was his biography, where the major parts of his life were pinpointed and high lightened. Her eyes scanned over the words, although she already knew them by heart, then lingered over the image.

"Seto Kaiba…" she purred, still grinning "You will be mine."

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A/N-Review! Review! Review! PLEASE!


	2. Chapter 2

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All bloody hell

People described him as princely, absolutely gorgeous and hot…strange enough, they didn't have to know how rich he was to sort him out as one of the most eligible men they had ever seen.

And when you did put the Jane Austen values aside, he really was some catch. Tall, strong, but slender, he had the sort of sensual beauty that often made people consider him effeminate, even gay, but there was nothing gentle about his face, about the features that looked like they'd been formed by the wind and seas over rocks. Sharp, angular, they stood out with determination, and his eyes were blazing and cold at the same time under the chestnut hair.

Then again, there was just something in him that made people aware of the fact that he was rich. Whether it was like dogs with fear, money was something you could smell out. He had nice hands, strong and bony, with long fingers, but perfectly kept. His hair wasn't exactly what you'd call long, but it wasn't the messy mop Joey Wheeler had-it was always impeccably clean, with every strand just in place. And if that wasn't enough, his clothes were perfect to the last stitch, following the lines of his body in a way that was refine and…sexy.

It was obvious that there was not a creature on this Earth that could be so utterly and incredibly perfect…without help.

As a result, a few days after the semester started, there was a near-constant cloud of fan (girls) around him that made surveillance difficult. However, Seto Kaiba was known to value solitude more than anything, and Sharona wasn't stupid enough not to realize that. So, other than watching him from a distance (stalking was such an ugly word), she often crept in the park to find him…or, as it turned out, he found her.

After three days it had gotten very plain to him that Yugi and his gang of omnipotent-and-utterly-idiotic cheerleaders would intrude on his every meal, whether he was in the cafeteria or on the staircase. So he decided to hide in the forest to avoid the cheery "Hi, Kaiba" and "Let's duel, you stuck-up prick!" that often emitted from the group. And his steps, as strange as it seemed, inevitably took him to the clearing where they had first met.

The first time he had come, she was sitting perched up on the high branches of a tree, not really waiting for him, but exploring a map of the town to decide what to do. And, of all things to do, he just had to sit right below her, opening his lunch with a loud growl.

"Damnation. Of all the stupid, impossible people, they decided that they have to torture me even here." He said, not bothering to keep his voice down. "And they just had to make stew again! Doesn't that idiot of a cook know anything else."

At that point, an apple dropped into his lap, causing him to look up and curse silently at the grinning girl. "What the hell are you doing up there?"

"Communicating with nature." She replied, digging into her bag "Want another one? I have plenty."

"Didn't you hear me the first time?! This is private property. And what's the big idea, giving me apples of all things!" he growled, although he didn't move from his place.

"You know what they say, if life gives you lemons, make a lemonade. 'Course I only have apples now so you'll have to settle for a strudel."

"You don't give up, do you?"

"Never!" her perky reply made him growl and move to another tree. She didn't pick on him for keeping the apple though.

* * *

That was two weeks ago. At present, Kaiba had little interest in seeking a new hiding place, especially since other students had picked their own bushes and often took their girlfriends to the same places. Apparently, the fact that it was a private university didn't matter at all for them. As a result, Seto had to share the clearing with 'that crazy girl' as he called her, engaging a verbal spar with her from time to time and ignoring her on most occasions.

He'd discovered that if he didn't pay attention to her, she remained silent and with that-tolerable. She let him eat his lunch at peace, which was a lot more than Yugi and Co. would've done, thus making her a preferable company. It had become a part of his routine-every day at twelve o'clock sharp, he'd leave the campus and head into the park to find his favorite spot. He'd check the trees and bushes for any surprises, and make sure she wasn't trying to jump him from anywhere (unless of course she was standing in plain sight), she'd give him one of her pervy smiles and a "Hi, cutie!", he'd grunt something in response and would settle in the opposite end of the clearing, as far away from her as possible. She'd give him a pout and the puppy dog stare for a few minutes before giving up and opening her own lunch.

During their silent thirty minutes, he wouldn't speak to her, but if she didn't look his way, he would often steal a glance at hers. And for two weeks in a row, he got a little insight on a very weird person.

Which was good, because other than her name, he had little that could tell him what kind of woman…or girl she was. He couldn't even tell if she was a high scholar, a university student, she could pass as a sixth grader for all he knew. He'd seen kids with a more voluptuous figure, even than hers. She didn't always show up in the white uniform he'd first seen her in-sometimes she wore a deep blue skirt and a green blazer, sometimes she actually wore a brown catholic school's dress, sometimes she even had normal clothes on. Not that age mattered. She could be five years old, but in cynicism she was 65.

Though it was strange. He couldn't see why she should wear these things, unless she visited three schools at once. A feat physically impossible even for him, if you had to be honest.

Once his curiosity got the better of him and he actually asked her:

"You want to know why I wear so many uniforms?" she asked, completely delighted that he was actually speaking to her "Because I'm trying to determine whether you have a fetish for Catholic virgins or not."

Why was he surprised, really? He should've known that she would say something like that. He just hoped his jaw wouldn't hang for too long.

Thank God he recovered fast. "Ok, here's a good one. Why the hell does everything about you have to revolve around sex?"

"Because to recommend yourself to some guy, you have to like what he likes." She replied

"Not all guys are nymphomaniacs." Seto replied, his mood getting darker and darker by the second. "And I think that so far, you can safely say that I don't really care for sex."

"Chill, I'm not putting you to one level with them, but I can't tell what kind of girls do you like, so I'll just have to try. I'm moving to skater girl tomorrow." She grinned broadly

"Do you actually have anything else in your mind other than boys? And why do you want to thrust yourself on me so much? You don't even know my name, and I can just turn out to be a recidivist rapist."

"No prison tattoos visible, and you're too well dressed, you attract too much attention." Sharona replied "And I do know your name. You're Seto Kaiba. Which, by the way, is more than you have on me, darling. I'm taking the lead."

"And how, pray, did you figure out my name?"

"Oh, just had to ask the girls in campus for a brown-haired hottie with a rotten temperament lurking around here. Thankfully, somebody still watches TV for me."

"And let me guess…you think it'd be a good idea to date me because I'm rich and would give you presents on a daily basis."

"Actually, I was kinda hoping for a present per hour, but I can settle for 24 roses at once every morning." She replied "Although I actually came here on Maximilian Pegasus' order. How about a cookie?"

The first time, he thought she was joking and brushed the comment off. However, after hearing the same reply several times, he actually started thinking that she may have, on a one to billion shot, told the truth. Of course, he was Seto Kaiba, he never doubted anything, but that girl was a very strange creature. She had all the assets required to be a professional seductress-a pretty face, beautiful hair, and a body that appeared sexy even though it was hidden underneath a potato sack. But then came a bunch of very confusing contradictions-like her tendency for telling the blunt truth, the fact that she made reference to sex in a way that was almost uncomfortably prude and she didn't really make an effort to seduce him. Honestly, they were alone every day, but she put up with his silences and gave up easily when he was not in a mood for a conversation.

However, he knew better than to ask why.

* * *

So here they were now, with more uncomfortable pauses than ever. Sharona sighed as she pulled out her binoculars and looked towards the building where she knew he had set up a temporarily office. He was there, practically doubled over the keyboard, writing something almost fervently. She knew that it couldn't be homework.

The blond frowned, before wrapping her jacket around her slender form. The weather was getting colder by the hour, and she MAY have to regret her decision to wear shorts for her afternoon run, but there was nothing like a shocked expression to make your day and the grannies next door were a unexhausted source of such. Besides, if he bothered looking from that window, he would get a better view than her restrictive school uniforms allowed. Then again, men weren't the ones to think beforehand, and he was certainly not likely to see her as well as she saw him.

At least not without a telescope.

The binoculars were put away and she went back to her warm up, before taking off in a steady pace towards the lake. The cold wind whipped her face, forcing blood to her cheeks and making her eyes water. Pity nobody could see her in this 'beautiful state' (please note the sarcasm). As September steadily moved towards October there was still no cracking of the ice, and although the city merited a good weather throughout the year, she wasn't sure how much they could meet in the park once the big rains started. She had to set another plan in motion, and fast.

Her legs carried her faster as she ran down a muddy slope, and somehow she managed not to miss every deep mud puddle, turning her socks and shoes into a mess. How better could the shocked faces get if she showed up, knee deep into mud? She considered it for a few seconds before taking another off-road track.

Was it too immature, pissing people off for the sake of relieving your own misery? True, her girls could come and visit, but if they did, it would easily undo her. And she hated to cry. She hated to cry in front of people. It was a nightmare. They thought that she needed COMFORT! Not that she didn't, but she hated receiving it. It was so much like pity. But she didn't like this town. It wasn't warm enough, it wasn't sunny enough, and the people looked at her as if she was nuts. Just because she attended three schools and one college didn't mean she was a freak, after all. A little gifted-maybe, but not a freak. She could have done like her friends and build up a life in Patch, but she was too proud to settle down with a man…yet.

But she missed the shaman community, she missed seeing people talking to spirits like it was the most natural thing in the world, and she missed the desert, damn it. Even if it ruined her skin, the weather there was much more preferable. It was ruthless, it was hard, and it was sunny throughout the year. She longed for that feeling of heat even at Christmas, she wanted to lie back on the rooftop of her lodgings there and let her body drink it until it hurt. Some would call her eccentric and a masochist, but she had grown to like the sun. What was so wrong with it?

But she had an assignment, and Seto Kaiba was by all means a person she had wanted to know better even before her boss had called her to him. Her eyes drifted distant as her body moved by its own accord, her mind taking her back to when this mess had began:

_Just the tapestry on this corridor probably cost more than the rent I paid for my last place, she thought as they led her towards the dining room. Since she'd been living in one of the servant rooms for a full two months, one would suppose that the splendor of the place wouldn't affect her at all, but she deliberately slowed her pace to enjoy the light streaming from the French windows and reflecting on the gold frames of the screens hanging on the walls._

_Not that she could see much, with the two gorillas on each of her sides and Crocket right in front of her. Mr. Pegasus had wanted to see her immediately, so they were taking her to him as fast as they could. Really, men weren't all that bad. Sharona had had the chance of meeting some of the finest gentlemen in the world, and she had had the pleasure of letting some of them marry her friends. But the guys Pegasus hired to work as guardsmen in his estate were the very definition of brainless apes who think with everything but their brains. Like the man ever cared for appointments._

_"Shara!!!" Maximilian called loudly, lunging himself at her and giving her a bone-crushing hug…a surprising feat for a man as skinny as himself. "What took you so long?"_

_"The general splendor blinded me for a while." She replied evenly_

_"Oh, Lord! I should have these offending things removed off the walls." He said, waving towards the tapestry. "Paint, my dear, paint is the future! Who needs old, dusty, ugly things like these to hang around for so long?!"_

_"It took a great deal of time to make them, didn't it? It would be ungrateful to the craftsmen to tear their work off its place. Besides, it suits the place better."_

_"Oh, very well…" he groaned, before sitting down on his chair "Now that you are here, it's all well and fine. The tapestry is safe and I can move on with business. Soufflé?"_

_"No thanks." She replied, sitting down on the table, but deaf to her protests, the annoying maids poured her a bowl of soup._

_Sharona resigned herself. Ever since she came to the manor, an elaborate meal was always on the day's chores list, whether it was dinner or lunch or even tea. Not that she minded, and Mr. Pegasus and she always had something to talk about, but the dinner table always seemed covered up with enough food to feed three families for a month. She wasn't sure whether that was just an impression or a fact, but she never managed to swallow much, as appetizing as everything seemed._

_She'd shared her thoughts with her host and they normally took tea, but to her surprise he wanted her to come to lunch, right after she'd packed a suitcase. Now that was weird-usually he wanted people to take their time._

_"Sharona, dear, have I ever told you what an amazing person you are?" he asked._

_"Once every day, at least."_

_"Intolerable, I should to it every hour at least." Came the flamboyant reply "I'm not trying to seduce you, m'dear, but I have to tell you, with your current accomplishments I can't understand why you should feel so normal."_

_"Oh, very well." She said with a smile "But what is the rush? Is the house burning down?"_

_"We wouldn't be eating if it were, right."_

_"Of course." Sharona nodded, and went quiet. Soon, he succumbed._

_"Oh, I cannot hide anything from you! Yes, I am up to something! In fact, I am going to give you an assignment so important that might determine the fates of an entire company. Or two. Or an empire! Never mind, the most important thing is that you are chosen for it. Why? Because you are the best! And because you must be the only woman I know who is by all means the best for the job."_

_"And what is…The Job?" she asked_

_"Well…this is a file. Of a certain young man. As you know, he and I have had a issue that kept us separated, and as you know, he has a technology of which I have a dire need of. Well, not so dire, but…anyway, an alliance between our two companies was always desired, and there are things of which both can benefit. So, that's why I need you to go to him as my ambassador."_

_"Your ambassador."_

_"Yes. I need to bury the hatchet, but I can't get close enough to him to do so. You can see what I'm trying to say?"_

_"Yes."_

_"No. Because you see my dear, there is more to it than it seems. I want you to make him understand my reasons and explain to him the great benefit to both our companies, but I also want you to do something little people have accomplished so far. I need you to get into Seto Kaiba's world and become a part of it."_

_"You mean…seducing him?"_

_"Lord, no! That would be so tasteless. No, I don't want you to sleep with him. But, if possible, I want you to befriend him. I want him to think of you as a person to turn to in case he needs advice of spill his heart out. I want you to be the one to follow him on a bender and then be the one to hold his head when he throws up against the wall. If required, I want you to carry him to the cab, then stay on the couch all night to make sure he's fine in the morning and takes a hangover remedy. In other words, I want him to see what I do-a wonderful, beautiful woman, a companion worth having, a muse if you will. It's very important, because it would help. Now, if you two do experience a roll in the hay every once in a while, it wouldn't be too bad, but I don't want you to aim at that. I don't want you broken-hearted because girls like you should not be broken-hearted. If it comes to dating, I want that boy besotted with you. Make sure that he is serious before you show affection. I want that boy on his knees begging for you if that happens. Do you understand what I want?"_

_"You want me to be his right hand."_

_"Or his left, as the right one is Mokuba, but yes. I want you to be so close to him that it would be hard for him to leave you. Understand, this is for everyone's benefit, so you're not doing anything wrong. And only God knows how much good you'll do him."_

_"But why me? And why should I do him good?"_

_"Because, my dear Sharona…." Pegasus said in a low whisper "You are special. I cannot imagine anyone but you to be so well suited for him."_

And now she was stuck trying to befriend him, and Kaiba was putting so much opposition that it was almost annoying. Sharona headed towards the busy street, intending to pass by the office buildings to see if the guy would be leaving soon before heading home. The traffic was horrible and it felt like the green light would never come, but it did.

The people pushed her out of their way and she stepped back to wait for her turn-everyone turning towards her with a look of disgust. Well, it wasn't like she cared. People looked at her like that since she was thirteen.

Just as she stepped on the street her ears picked up the sound a car speeding and a red vehicle popped out around the corner, heading straight into their direction. Sharona's body tensed, getting ready to jump out of the way when she realized that the other pedestrians hadn't noticed it. The car was picking up speed, and she saw with startling clarity how it would cut through and sent whatever came in its path into a flight to Heaven or Hell. A kid turned towards it, something akin to surprise and fright mixing in its eyes. It froze, unable to move, and for a split second she imagined what would happen next. However, in the next, she already had her arms around it, throwing both of them into a front roll towards the sidewalk. She literally felt the car brush past, then felt pain in her calves and knees, followed by a sharp sting and a hollow thud when she hit a lamp post.

Suddenly, the world around them was filled with people and she released the child from her arms. Somebody was calling an ambulance and somebody was asking her if she was alright. Then…

"Hey, you!" she yelled after the thug who, taking advantage of the situation had grabbed her backpack and was beating a hasty retreat. Suddenly, as tired as she was, she was on her feet again, sprinting behind him like a cheetah. She caught up with him before the street was out and plastered him against the wall. The policeman who had come to her aid finally arrived and took the man by the arms as she retrieved her property with an angry growl.

"Honestly. I was nearly ran over, and they're still trying to rob me? Cut me some slack, will you…idiots."

"Um, excuse me…" a quiet, hesitant voice came and she looked down to see the child she had just saved. She was surprise to see that it was actually a 'he', with long black hair and blue eyes, and almost reached her chin in height. Why was he looking so familiar? "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty fine, but…" She paused as she saw somebody running towards them, somebody who she'd never picture in a situation like this. Seto Kaiba, actually looking distressed, came towards them and dropped before the boy, grabbed him by the shoulders and yelled:

"Mokuba, are you alright?"

Well, she thought weakly, now at least I know from where I know him.

* * *

A/N-Not much to say but...REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3

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Elegance

Now's the time to make a run for it, she thought as she watched Kaiba look his brother over for any injury. However, Mokuba seemed to have other things in mind, and saw her attempts to retreat.

"Hey, wait a minute! Are you alright?"

Seto turned around, gracing her with his attention for the first time since he'd come on the scene. Something close to awareness flickered in his eyes as they narrowed, flickering over her form before returning to her face. "Sharona…"

"Kaiba…" she managed, before turning towards the boy with the most calm tone she was capable of at the moment "I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

"I'm alright, all thanks to you." He said, before turning towards his brother "She saved me, Seto. She actually knocked me out of the way. Otherwise that car would've ran me over!"

"Is that so?" Kaiba eyed her again suspiciously, and then added "You sure like to run, don't you."

"Hey, that guy stole my bag!" she exclaimed, rightfully indignant. "Did you expect me to just stand there?"

"Well, if you are well enough to run, I suppose that you didn't hit yourself badly. Come on, Mokuba, let's go."

"But she's hurt!" the boy exclaimed, turning towards her "You can't be alright. You're bleeding!"

Two sets of questioning blue eyes traced downward towards her exposed legs. Sharona stifled a groan as she watched the bright red gushes on her calves and knees-this would take a while to heal, and she would have trouble sitting until they did. Damn it, how did Mokuba notice wounds from all the mud she was covered with? That kid was either smart or terribly honest. Actually, not so much a kid anymore, she thought as she remembered reading that he was currently fourteen years old. Though he appeared pretty small for a teen, he was definitely the brat she was told Kaiba's brother was.

Whatever the case, he had drawn Seto's attention to the wounds, and the older Kaiba was currently eyeing her as if he was debating whether she was capable of handling herself or not. "Come with us." He finally ordered, turning on his heel and dragging Mokuba into the building. Sharona hesitated, before the looks the passers were giving her forced her to follow.

* * *

He led them both to the stairs to the third floor, took a few turns and opened the door to a spacious office. A few people rose at their entry, and a small young man with a messy hairdo rushed to them as soon as they crossed the threshold. "Mr. Kaiba, are you alright? Why did you…" he began, looking questioningly at Sharona and Mokuba.

"I believe I told you my brother was coming today." The young CEO snapped "I saw that he was nearly ran over through the window and I stepped out."

"Yes, sir, but Haruka-san…"

"I will explain things to him in a minute. Call a physician for Mokuba and the lady here, and tell him to hurry it up. My brother may be concussed, and she has a few very unpleasant wounds." Seto turned around to look at Sharona, his gaze saying three parts distaste and one part hospitality "Show her to the bathroom and bring her a new pair of shoes, since I don't assume these are wearable at present."

If her face was not already flushed from all the running and excitement, Sharona would've blushed with indignity and frustration. Suddenly, she became terribly aware of the fact that she was terribly muddy, disheveled and ruffled up-in the middle of this clean office and its neat occupants, she felt like a spot of dirt on the floor. Kaiba turned his back on her and dragged his brother to a couch where he seated him, and she was left with no choice but to follow his assistant to the bathroom.

She thanked him for his help, before closing the door and turning towards the spacious room. Slowly, hesitantly, she peeled her shoes and socks off, then walked towards the sink. With a methodical neatness, she rinsed them out and put them up against the wall to dry before starting to wash her hands and face. Her hair was pretty much a disaster, sticking out in unimaginable ways of the pig tail she'd pulled it in, but she would fix it afterwards. Then, sighing, she brought one of her legs up on the cold marble and washed the mud off, hissing quietly as she accidentally brushed her fingers against the torn flesh. There was an acute throbbing in her left shoulder, but there wasn't any numbing pain, which meant that it wasn't something that wouldn't go away on its own.

"Sharona, are you doing well?" Kaiba asked, not bothering much to knock as he walked in, a bunch of paper napkins in his hand. "You're ta…" he began, she turned her head to look at him and both froze as they were. She wondered what on earth forced him to make that face, and on his part, he just couldn't get his eyes off her.

He wasn't a prude, for certain. When Gozaburo Kaiba had adopted him, he had done everything to turn him into a smart, educated and _sophisticated_ young gentleman. As a gentleman, and as a young businessman, he hadn't particularly cared for women; but he fancied himself a connoisseur in the field of art, at least as far as painting was concerned, and as such he couldn't not study the figure in front of him. He had already compared her to a Boticielli Venus, but with her arms and neck bared and her foot up against the sink, he couldn't help getting the thoughts of something…inhuman.

There was no way, after all, that a normal human would feel so much at ease with their body if they were not a dancer or an acrobat. A position that made others look heavy and clumsy only showed all the natural grace she possessed, and for a second he thought that her body was made only by elegant, wave-like lines, discreet and pleasing to the eye. There was nothing wrong in enjoying the view, after all, he thought, but he did close the door behind him.

"I know I'm taking long, Kaiba." She snapped him out of his reverie, quickly, moving to her other leg "I'll hurry up."

"What? No crude comments? No attempt at conversation?"

"There are three conditions in which I'm not fit for conversations, and I'm afraid you catch me in all three of them-cold, wet and dirty. But feel free to repeat your question in five minutes-I guarantee I'll be more talkative."

"No thanks." He replied, handing her the napkins so that she could dry off. "I prefer it when you're quiet. Although I have a question to ask you."

"Shoot." She replied absent-mindedly as she bent to run the napkin around a gush

"Are you really sent by Maximilian Pegasus?"

"Huh?" she looked up "Of course. Didn't I tell you?"

"Uh…yeah…but around you, one learns not to listen to most things you say."

"Oh…so I'm a liar?"

"No. It seems just pointless." He was suddenly on his guard "So he sent you?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"You're actually listening to me?" she eyed him with a coy smile "As his ambassador. He wants to bury the hatchet from a few years back."

"Bury the hatchet where? Because I'd gladly try in his head." He replied. Sharona straightened up and put her hands on her hips.

"Now Kaiba, what kind of language is that? He truly wants to make amends."

"Well, he should know he can't do it, not even a hundred Moses' come by." Seto said walking towards her, this time truly angry "Did you set up this 'accident'? Save my brother and earn my gratitude so that I would do what Pegasus wants?"

Whether it was the fact that she was absolutely tired, dirty and cold, or the pain in her shoulder and legs, or the feeling of standing before him totally helpless and unprepared made her defensive and angry. How could he say such things? How did he even allow himself to think of such a thing? Who did he think he was?

"Don't you think that if I wanted it to happen, I would've made an effort to look a little more decent?" she replied, her irritation lacing with her usual mock-tone "If I set something like this up, I would have done it without hurting myself, wouldn't have I?"

"You have a ready-made answer for everything, don't you?"

"Yes, Kaiba, because not only you are smart enough to keep up with a heated conversation!"

"And your pride is hurt, isn't it? You don't like doing good deeds that give you no merits, right?!"

"Damn straight, I'm hurt and tired, and you're treating me with suspicion and anger as if it was my fault."

"If you work for Pegasus I wouldn't be surprised that it is."

"So just because I work for him automatically makes me the bad guy? Tell you what, Kaiba, perhaps you want everyone in the world to stop doing good deeds out of helping one of your relatives or friends."

"Pegasus kidnapped my brother, held him hostage and made an attempt to kill me! Then he drugged both of us and tried to steal my company! Knowing that, how dare you be so…indignant?" his voice hadn't raised, but had acquired a dangerous edge to it that made her fine hairs stand on end "I have every right to be suspicious of you, if you work for such a man."

"It was years ago. He's changed, and he wants to fix things." She replied in the same tone "Unlike you, I believe people deserve a second chance."

"Didn't you hear me? He kidnapped my brother."

"Nobody got hurt in the end!"

"And that's enough to justify his actions."

"Really, Kaiba, you're a real hypocrite now." She exclaimed, folding her arms in front of her chest "You're acting as if you never tried achieving your goal at any price!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Must I really say it? Ok, how about spending millions of dollars organizing an expensive tournament just to get a couple of rare cards? Or setting fire to an entire island when you lost? Oh, wait…I have something better…How about the time when you threatened to kill yourself if you lost to Yugi by getting blown off a tower."

"That was a serious matter."

"Everyone has their reasons, don't they?"

"Don't you dare belittle that! My brother's life was at stake. I had to win."

"And if I recall, Yugi's grandfather's life was at stake as well. It was just as important to him to win as it was to you." She managed to overtake him and silenced him for a few seconds "That's what I'm trying to say, Kaiba. Everyone has their motives. You can't just say that yours stand before everybody else's."

"Mokuba was still a child! His life was before him. How long would've the old man lived if he got saved?"

"For you he might be an old man, but to Yugi he is his entire family. What would've he done without him? What would've Mokuba done if you got yourself killed?"

"Either way, what's this to you? I was told Pegasus' reasons for doing what he did-he was ready to kill for a mirage, a crazy, sick little illusion, a fruit of his overactive and perverse imagination. There is nothing to support his theory, if that rambling is even considered a theory. He's a madman that needs to be locked away in an asylum, not left to roam the streets like an ordinary citizen! What are you trying to prove by protecting him?"

"I'm not justifying his actions, Kaiba. I'm just trying to show you that the world does not end with your own little universe, and you're not the only person who can do whatever he wants because he has a good reason to." She was positively fuming now "That was all I wanted to say, but since you're too thick-headed to even bother registering what I'm saying right now, I don't think I should waste my breath anymore!"

"You really are foolish. You don't understand a thing."

Foolish? Her? He dared call her foolish when he was acting like a donkey on a bridge! How dare he be so patronizing!

"You know what, there's no point in this." She snapped, slipped her shoes on, stuffed her socks in her pocket and, throwing her backpack over her shoulder marched out of the office

"So you'd rather walk out of an argument than end it…" he sneered behind her. She stopped, looked over her shoulder at him and just huffed before resuming her course towards the door.

"Don't bother with me then. I'll make sure the door doesn't hit me on the way out." She hissed.

* * *

The warm spray of the shower hit her all of the sudden, the little droplets drilling mercilessly into her skin. Sharona groaned and braced herself with one hand on the tiled wall as she let the heat wrap around her, but she waited until the bathroom was filled with steam before she let her head hang low and submit to the all-consuming water.

The pain had increased, but not as much as to immobilize her, and she decided to take a shower to relax her stiff muscles. She'd already thrown half a bottle of disinfectant over her torn legs and popped her shoulder back in place. She'd even managed to give herself a tetanus shot-when she'd asked Pegasus to give her a fully equipped first aid kit, she didn't expect to find everything from antidote for snake bites to rainbow-colored plasters, but now she was thanking her boss for his thoughtfulness. After all, getting a syringe and that kind of shot from a pharmacy couldn't be done and waiting in some hospital for a doctor was nothing she could take right now.

The water was so hot it literally took off skins, but she welcomed it entirely, thanking for the fact that she could ease up again. Damn that Kaiba! He'd kept her whined up like a Jack in the box throughout their entire conversation, looking down his nose on her as if she was something inferior to him. Just the thought of remembering what had happened made her want to punch the wall with frustration. She would, too, if she didn't think anger was unsightly. And her arm still hurt.

People looking down on her were probably the only thing that came second to a crowd that looked ready to lynch her. In some aspects, it was even worse, because it provoked her to strike back, physically and mentally-it brought out the sheer desire to crush, to destroy, to crumble their self-esteem to dust. If it actually gave her any worthwhile thrill, she would've done that, but she was well-aware that it wouldn't. But Kaiba had nearly had her there…

Jerk. Did he think that just because he had money, brains AND good looks he could call the shots around the world? He probably thought that since he re-build Kaiba corp. from scratch he was some kind of God, too! Bastard! He was just like Pino and his team of Ice-heads-he maintained that life made him hard, but in the end he never really dealt with humans! To him, some of the things she had done to survive probably looked too _surreal_ to actually be true. She was never ashamed of what she had done in the past and she certainly didn't let some stuck-up cretins like him make her feel the opposite.

She blamed it on the outfit-the internal as well as the external. She hadn't been mentally prepared for a spar, and her clothes hadn't done much to help her. A distinct memory of a rainy summer afternoon floated into her mind:

"_Remember, dear, you must always look good." Her mother had said while she adjusted the impossibly expensive earrings and took a step back to see if the slightly brighter red didn't clash with her fancy evening dress. "Otherwise, you may just as well bury yourself alive. No man would like you if you don't dress in a way that makes you like yourself first."_

"_But mother…" an eight-year old with dazzling blond hair said from her chair in the corner of the room "…the kids in school say that their mothers told them that the important is on the inside. They also say that you're a prostitute and that vanity is a sin that leads to selling your body for money."_

_  
The older woman gave the ceiling a look of distaste before she stated: "Listen, Sharona, people who say such distasteful words are either too weak at heart or too simple-minded to take care of themselves. First of, prostitutes are poor, often sick women that enter that lifestyle either because they couldn't make their way into life. Second, the name of the profession has nothing insulting in itself in it-it's like saying that your father works in the sewers. Third, the way you look has nothing to do with the path in life you take. Finally, that's not the point. Looking good is only a step away from feeling good. People who don't feel good get frustrated, angry and unhappy, thus they spend their energy and time on brooding, instead of advancing. People who look good and feel good, on the other hand, are confident in their abilities and manage to convince others of it. And believe me, darling, in this world, you'll have to give the impression that you're superior to others-if you don't, you'll end up turned into a doormat."_

It was incredible that in one single monologue her mother had managed to teach her all the lessons in life that she needed to know. Sharona didn't need to look expensive, she just needed to feel good in her skin to dazzle everyone. Comfort wasn't the issue-she could do comfortable as long as she was elegant. She took pains to get her seven hours of sleep and went easy on the coffee and sugar, never drank more than two glasses of alcohol when she went out, counting the one in her food, and dressed in a way that told "I am a confident woman, and I damn well have a reason to be."

The only time when she did get loose was when she went jogging-after all what kind of socializing could you expect to do? Sweaty and exhausted, with a glistering face and a hair that looks like something out of a horror movie? She didn't want to imagine what kind of men would like that kind of look. Besides, the time when she jogged was hers and hers alone-nobody was allowed to distract her with weird questions, she was free to let her head empty completely and focus on draining every bit of energy from her body.

* * *

Sharona turned off the water and walked into the bedroom. She dried off and took out a bandage from the first-aid kit, before stranding in front of the mirror to wrap her shoulder up.

Working with one hand had never been her strong side. Some hair got into her eyes and she shook her head angrily to get rid of it…suddenly, she felt the bandage being taken out of her hands and it firmly started to wrap…a large, bony hand was placed on her side and a hot breath tickled her year as a voice, smooth and dark like chocolate said:

"Let me help you with that."

Her eyes opened and she eyed the figure standing behind her in the mirror. "Nice try, Enra, but he doesn't sound like a soap opera star."

The bandage quickly dropped in her arm as the image of Seto Kaiba dissolved into a less solid form of a small female, then spoke in a louder and high-pitch voice. "Killjoy."

"Tasteless spirit."

"You know I was only trying to help."

"By using up my energy…" Sharona replied cheekily "You know you shouldn't do that. If anyone sees you we'll be in big trouble."

There was no way that such a small woman could exist, after all. Especially one with such sharp Elvin features and hair that was literally like cotton candy. Her face twisted with annoyance as she replied: "As if anyone can see me all the way up here. Besides, it's none of their business."

"If they see the body of Seto Kaiba here, it might become a nuisance."

"I take it that you won't call Boss to tell him you're giving up then." Enra replied as she laid back on a cloud of pink smoke "You know, in such a case it's the best thing to do."

"In what case?" Sharona asked as she finished tying the bandage and looked carefully at the result. It would restrict movement, but thankfully not entirely. Maybe she could act as if nothing happened.

"Honestly, Shara, why would you want to go on with a missing involving a guy you hate?"

"Some friends fight more often than they get along." She replied "Take Lilly and Ellie per instance. Like a cat and a mouse, but they're still like joined in the hip."

"So I suppose you're not planning on pursuing a romantic relationship?"

"I suppose not." Sharona sighed. Actually, Seto Kaiba was the kind of guy that gave her a thrill by just looking. Calculative, confident and devilishly handsome, he valued independence before everything and she was getting the feeling that he would never fall into some emotional pit where he's constantly worried or overprotective of his girlfriend. Of course, she had no idea what girls he liked, but she guessed that it would have to be somebody who knows how to take care of themselves.

So far a match made in heaven. Until…

"I don't imagine hooking up with a guy that looks down on me as if I'm some sort of imbecile." She growled "I just can't take it. After all I've gone through, I can't take it…"

"Well, since he doesn't know, it can be a good thing and a bad thing, I guess." Enra said

"How so?"

"It depends whether you fall for him or not." The spirit replied as she dissolved into space before her mistress could demand and explanation.

* * *

A/N-Thanks to Keirichi for her advice on the previous chapters! I hope that this is better!

Please review, folks. J'accepte les comptes-rendus en francais! Me gustarian en espagnol tambien! Ah, let's just say it-I'm desperate.


	4. Chapter 4

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* * *

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Overdose

He hated it when things didn't work out.

Naturally, with him being Seto Kaiba, mishaps were supposed to be something he should expect on a daily basis. He'd been the acting CEO of Kaiba Corp. since he was fifteen, a position much disputed and defended over the years, in ways both physical and mental. He'd been in danger of losing everything nearly every minute of his conscious life after he received the ten million dollars from his adoptive father with the order that he would return to him the money in one year, multiplied by ten.

He'd returned them the following day. But trouble had continued raining from everywhere. Not only did he have to fight the media, the investors, and the public who all thought it was disgusting that a minor should stand as the head of a multimillion dollar company. He'd defended his title as a dueling champion, losing only to Yugi and that bastard Pegasus. He'd been trapped, kidnapped and drugged more times than he wished to remember, and still, whatever came around, he defeated it. Nothing could set Seto Kaiba aback.

So why was he slowly feeling like he'd bitten off more than he could chew by going to a college so far away from family and friends (well, only from a kid brother, but that was the saying), and ending up with the same bunch of idiots for another four years and more. He'd hoped to start anew when he tore away from the society that labeled him as the rich, spoiled antagonist, the arch-enemy of the hero of the day Yugi Moutou. Maybe actually find people who would like him in spite of who he was.

Now he was stuck dancing to the same song as he watched Yugi and Co. quickly form connections and isolating him more and more. Why, oh why couldn't Tea get a better scholarship that would take the rest of that Scooby gang away from him?

Somewhere deep inside though, there was a part of him that was jealous of them. Of their cheerful and happy-go-lucky attitudes, of their way of bonding with people easily, of their captivating the world around them just by their positive look upon everything-all this inspired envy in its purest and deepest kind. And the more Yugi's circle of friends grew, his narrowed-everyone who knew them was acquainted with the cold, manipulative and heartless Kaiba they saw him as, and they kept away from him. He was once again labeled.

And it didn't help that Yugi, in all his good-hearted sweetness tried to incorporate him to his 'gang'. Instead of making him feel warm and fuzzy and thankful that he was given a second chance, he was angry because the initiative was totally taken from him. Their kindness was making him feel like a complete social retard, an invalid who cannot deal without the help of others. It was a childish motive, but for the first time he'd wanted to stay away from his nasty image as the bad guy. However, with Yugi, the boy whose antipode he was supposed to be, how could that happen?

Thanks to his former classmates' attempts to continue what they started off in High School (aka. make Kaiba normal) the young CEO was starting to feel like he'd overdosed on stupidity. With his turning of age people had stopped paying attention to the fact that he was a genius, but with his friendless and loveless reality, did this mean that he would turn into the perfect example for a robot-a creature defined by work, a person who lives for his money, alone, asexual, not missed by anybody.

In front of himself, he never lied-he didn't want this. A few nights in a row he woke up, drenched in sweat, dreaming about being locked up in cyber space again. Dreaming that he suffered an accident and the world, not wanting to let go of such a magnificent brain downloaded his mind in a computer, just like Noah Kaiba's, and he lived for an eternity, watching everything fall apart.

After a week of these nightmares, he decided that it had to stop. The last thing he needed was to have the dorm master called on him because he woke others up with his screams, and have Yugi and Rosencrantz & Gilderstein think he finally lost it. So every night he swam for hours in the university pool, worked, read-basically, he did everything in order to prevent himself from falling asleep, or at least exhausting himself to the point where his mind could not conjure up more dreams. The dorms weren't locked for the night, which gave him the opportunity to go out as much as he could, and in a few especially bright nights, he took a midnight stroll in the dark alleys.

Seto didn't come across any perverts, because the gates to the park locked, but he did come to a few conclusions he should have come to some time ago. Namely, he needed Sharona.

Not physically. He wasn't simply too proud to admit that a simple bodily functions could call the shots with him; he considered it obligatory for anyone who considered himself a smart person. A mind has to rule over the body, that's why they said "cogito ergo sum", not the opposite. But he needn't acknowledge the fact that she was pretty to know he wanted her. And, despite the fact that he still hated Maximilian Pegasus, he was slowly beginning to comprehend why had he sent exactly this 'girl' (he wasn't sure if employee was appropriate) to be his ambassador and help him bury the hatchet-she was smart.

And not in the sense of 'smarter-than-most'. She was alive. When she had snapped at him back in that bathroom and then stormed right past him, he had had the urge to stop her. Unfortunately, he shouldn't have relied on provocations because it had only made her walk faster. For future reference, he had to grab her so that she wouldn't go anywhere.

But more importantly, their little verbal spar had taught him a lot more than his hidden observations-she was blunt, sometimes prude, but she never backed down. Her formal laissez-faire attitude had only been a screen. She hadn't engaged into an argument because she had figured out that it would eventually lead to getting both of them angry and if they were both angry, they wouldn't stand the sight of each other. Or at least on her part. The idea that somebody could read him so easily was laughable, but then again, he'd never been the one for a steely poker face.

Ok, obviously the stupidity overdose was taking its tool out on him-he was making too many detours. Main point was-she was the only person who had (abeit ordered to) come close to him willingly since he arrived and was also the only one who could have a decent conversation with him. Listening to her waxing eloquent about the advantages of 'renewing his friendship with Maximilian Pegasus' was preferable to the attempts to incorporate him into the "Friendships knows no limits" sect-just looking at her was more than he wanted from Yugi and his gang.

* * *

So that's where the big problem came in-after their little fight two weeks ago, she hadn't show on their favorite lunch spot, thus leaving him to deal with his torturous daily rituals alone. He looked for her carefully under every bush, up on every tree, and even searched the other clearings, but to no end-she was keeping away from the park. He often gave himself a break from work to look out the windows, hoping to catch a flash of gold in the park, even though his rational side told him that even if he had seen her, she would've been out of reach by the time he got out of the building, crossed the street and found the alley. But, luckily on unluckily, he never saw her.

Maybe she's given up, he thought, or maybe she doesn't want to endanger her mission by screaming at me all the time. Or, perhaps she was too proud to talk to him until he apologized. If the first, it would've been disappointing, but he was more inclined to believe the second…even if he didn't feel like he was the one who had to apologize.

By the end of the week he'd nearly given up, when another cheery attack by Yugi and Co., who were joined this time by Tea-Cavity-Sweet-Gardner sent him over the edge. After telling them as coldly as he could to leave him alone before he called the police on them, Tea pouted and began her usual triad about how mean people never got far, and then said something that had him listen as if life itself depended on it.

"You're just like that girl in school-people have praised you for so long your head is permanently stuck in the clouds, but one day you'll fall off your pedestal."

They were in the cafeteria and as the new Scooby gang sat down on their table (not too far away from Kaiba's, allowing him to hear every word of their conversation), and Yugi didn't waste time in asking her about the person she was referring to.

"Well, I don't personally know her." Tea began "But she's a sort of celebrity in the university, but she's in the musical department so I barely crossed her."

"So how did you know she existed?" Joey enquired as he stuffed his mouth with French fries.

"She takes ballet class as a part of her curriculum, I've seen her when I'm done with practice. She appears to be a sort of genius, you see-she picks up things that take other students ages to learn on a prima vista. And I'm not even joking-I've seen her perform a _pas de chat _almost perfectly when her teacher had explained it to her, even if she swore on all that was Holy afterwards that she'd never even been into a ballet studio in her life. She's either very smart or a great actress."

"But she studies to be a musician?"

"Probably. I mean, she's supposed to be a flutist, but from what I hear, she only appears for orchestra rehearsals and shows up once a week to her lectures. She's…probably used to getting her way, and she has to be rich-I mean, whenever I've seen her she's impeccably dressed and her attitude is just like Kaiba's. She looks down on everybody."

"Maybe she's his sister. What's her name?"

"Sharona. Everybody knows her as Sharona. Weird, if you ask me." She said. They discussed theories for a few more minutes, making her everything, from the illegitimate daughter of a millionaire to the concubine of a minister, but Kaiba already knew everything he needed.

* * *

The same afternoon, he found where Gardener's university was, and without much beating about the bush, asked for the orchestra, when they were practicing, etc. Apparently, they practiced every day for three hours straight in the auditorium, and that's where he headed to as soon as he heard that.

The first day, he caught the end of the practice just as the musicians were moving out of the grand hall. The next day, he came right after they'd began, thinking that he could sneak a moment to talk to her (on a subject he hadn't decided on yet) when they took a break, and was very displeased to find that she was never alone-she either talked to the conductor or her fellow musicians. For three days in a row, all he could do was spy through the door of the auditorium, not even bothering to wonder how had he ended up stooping so low, and why the hell hadn't he already demanded her attention. If he didn't know better, he would've thought that he was acting like a schoolboy with a crush.

If it only were that simple! Love itself wasn't a complicated busyness-he had been on a few dates (for show, but still dates), and he was well aware of how to go about it. But he really didn't know what to do because he never really knew what he felt for her. It wasn't friendship (a word he was now choking on, compliments to his pals), but it wasn't love or lust either, because…well, maybe because the obvious signs for such an attachment were missing. He didn't dream of her, let alone fantasize about her…but…

He wanted normality, and he wanted it so bad it hurt. He wanted nothing more than that-a normal life, no, a fucking normal hour in which he could have a normal conversation with a person who knew nothing about him and who was willing to listen. Why the hell did the closest thing to that person have to be sent by Pegasus?!

* * *

The fourth day he wasn't even looking through the door-sitting in the lobby and mauling over homework, he had come to the conclusion that he would have to sneak in behind her and drag her into a broom closet, so all he had left was to wait for the practice to be over. Just then, the door opened and a tall, middle-aged man walked out, a cigarette in hand.

"Oh! Didn't know someone was here." He smiled, before leaning on the wall and lighting it "Come to hear us practice, young man?"

"Yes." Kaiba answered before he could react "Sort of."

"Ah…it's good to learn from the best, although we'll be much better on the concert. What's your instrument?"

"I don't play. Anymore." He replied, chuckling inwardly at the thought of him as a music student. That would've been hilarious.

"No? So why are you here?" the man seemed surprised. Kaiba, seeing his golden chance, quickly said:

"I'm interested in one of the musicians."

"If it's for the flutist, I'd advise you to get in line." The man laughed "Though you wouldn't have much of a shot. People are betting whether she'd be taken to Paris or Vienna by the end of the semester."

Kaiba's eyebrows rose. "People see talent, don't they?"

"Yeah. And to tell the truth, she looks good on the posters too. The tickets for the Christmas concert sold out as soon as we out her picture there. She's charismatic, and a great musician. Though her fellow players don't quite agree with that."

"You're not sure whether to choose a violin or flute concerto." Seto said, having learned more about the orchestra's inner turmoils than lessons in the last few days.

"Yeah, and it'll be a lengthy discussion. So why are you here?" he decided, changing the subject briskly

"Your gifted flutist happens to have something in her possession that I want." I said "I'm a game card collector."

"Yes? I never knew she was into this." The man smiled "Well, you can always talk to her after practice-she goes into room 3 every day to work on the problematic parts of her routine…" he rolled his eyes "…So I'm pretty sure you'll be able to discuss your subject."

The cigarette died out and he threw it in the trash bin with a sigh. "Well, break's over, time to go back there. Good luck."

Seto didn't have time to reply to his thanks, as he had already bolted for the back rooms. He didn't even bother asking himself who that man was.

* * *

Not sooner than he had found the corridor he'd been looking for, the door to the auditorium opened and the orchestra walked out. Small groups were formed, some left, some went into the practice rooms, but he had to wait until the coast was clear before he could advance. But today, it appeared as if his luck was worse than usual because when he finally made it safely to the door of room number 3, somebody was already with her.

He'd never seen the man who was with her up close, but judging by the lines they were throwing at each other, he guessed that it was the concert-master.

Seto peeked in, careful so that they wouldn't notice him. They both stood facing away from the door-she was fiddling with her instrument, cleaning up the ends with a cloth, while he was trying to catch her attention with his arguments. She didn't seem very interested, although she shot him daggers whenever she had the chance to.

"Don't you understand that this is for the best?" the young man was just saying as he waved his hands around. If Seto hadn't spend the last half week listening to the orchestra practice (and argue), he would've guessed they were lovers in the middle of a fight. "You should back us all up on this."

"Haven't I already told you?" she sighed, sounding just a tad irritated "It isn't up to me. You asked me not to stand out and that's what I'm doing. If Maestro thinks that we should do a flute concerto for the Christmas event, why should we oppose him?"

"Because it looks bad!" he screamed, throwing his hands in the air. "Everyone in this orchestra but you are in their last year-it's crucial that we catch the eye of the talent hunters and go into some formation or get a scholarship. Not only that, we've gotten this far because we work hard and we have talent-it's a well-known fact that this orchestra is 100% clean!"

"And you're suggesting that I sally the reputation because I'm young?" Sharona asked, her eyebrow arching dangerously

"Of course not!" Seto barely resisted rolling his eyes at his obviousness "Everyone here can see you can play very well, and naturally we all appreciate your efforts not to stand out. But you do. And even if you make a tolerable show, people will start asking why wouldn't Maestro give older, more experienced musicians the spotlight. What's more, a flute concerto only requires half of the people, which means that we wouldn't be able to show our talent to the people. Think about it, Sharona, you still have four more years to go, and a lot of concerts ahead of you. You can show off anytime, while some of us can't afford that luxury. And we can't have rumors spreading around either…"

"Oh, but rumors are already spreading around." She said in a sugary sweet voice, throwing a lock of sun-kissed hair over her shoulder, before fluttering her eyelashes devilishly at him "Isn't that right, Mr. Grades? People are already talking that behind my so called genius there is nothing but actors play and some private action with the headmaster and the conductor. If everyone can see those aren't true, what's the big deal if another few rumors spread?"

"That was not my point!"

"But it was how you expected to convince me." Sharona noted evenly, although the strain in her voice was becoming more and more apparent. Kaiba narrowed his eyes-why hadn't that woman lashed out on the guy yet?

* * *

To tell the truth, Sharona had been dying to lash out and chew that lousy violinist to bloody bits…however un-lady like that seemed. But frankly, she'd decided to keep out of trouble for a while, since a stuck-up attitude only did more bad than good. People would start asking questions and rumors would spread around more violently. And there was another thing…

A few days ago, her shoulder had started troubling her again. Something had gone wrong, even though she couldn't imagine what. She'd done everything right, and even let her guardian spirit into her body to see if she'd missed something. If a nerve or a bone was severely damaged, Enra wouldn't gain control further than it, and when they were done, nothing seemed to have stopped her. She'd almost immediately lost control over her guardian, but it had been made clear-nothing had gone wrong during the healing.

"It's just probably one of your things, Sharona." The fairy had concluded, and her mistress couldn't help but agree. But now, a week later, the pain was getting stronger and harder to overlook. She'd secured her shoulder, but if this kept up, she'd have to see a doctor.

Gods, she hated that idea. She had taken some medical training to avoid getting into hospitals. After practice, she'd wanted nothing more but to change the bandage and go home, but that idiot was holding her up and she was getting closer and closer to the edge. That was when he grabbed her roughly by the shoulder and spun her around to face him. The pain shot through her like a wave and she didn't know what kept her from screaming. But she did, and thankfully, because Grades' face changed three shades of red and a second later, he was yelling at her.

"You selfish woman! How dare you not understand?!" he shook her wildly and she, having just about the processing power of a rag doll, didn't resist "Don't you get it?! Everyone hates you! You steal all the spotlight! You're inhuman and that freaks us out?! You…you…why can't you be normal?!"

"Normal?" she mumbled, eyelids shutting closed. Oh, gods, her mind was drifting to a place she didn't want it to.

_Why? Why won't it stop? Please, someone, anyone, help me!_

"That's right, normal! Why can't you be normal?! Nobody wants to see you, you freak!"

"Indeed, but I believe people prefer their music to be listenable to the face of the musician." Came a cold voice. Sharona stared, not capable holding back a squeak of surprise. Because her plea had been answered by no other than Seto Kaiba himself.

* * *

A/N-Review. Please!


	5. Chapter 5

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Knights in shining armor

Oh, gods, she was hallucinating! She probably forgot to take a breath, or the pain was taking its tool out on her, or perhaps she'd finally gone nuts…Whatever the reason, Sharona told herself, Seto Kaiba was most certainly not there, actually saving her.

Only a small problem…he really was. Walking in the room, with brisk, confident strides, his face resembling a stormy cloud, he looked really angry. Sharona felt her knees weakening, something that hadn't happened in nearly ten years…she closed her eyes and focused, trying to stay calm. Get a hold of yourself, woman! This is not the way people should see you! She thought about cucumbers in the fridge, and slowly regained her composure.

In the meantime, Kaiba had stopped at arm's length from them. He didn't do anything, but he didn't have to either…His very presence was intimidating, demanding respect and obedience. She suddenly realized how he managed to keep an enterprise like Kaiba Corp. running-he was the epitome of a powerful man, and he didn't let anyone around him forget it. She snuck a peek at Grades, snickering on the inside-the concertmaster had frozen dead, and the color was quickly draining from his face. Serves him right, the self-important bastard.

"What….what did you just say?" he finally managed

"You heard me, dope." Seto replied, giving him the infamous 'drop-dead-you-lowlife' look "How can you call yourself a musician if you don't have the ears for it?"

"You…how dare you! Do you know who I am?!" Grades fumed, squeezing Sharona's shoulder harder in his fury. The blood quickly rose back to his cheeks, making him look like an over-rape tomato

"I believe everyone here heard who you are." Kaiba replied "By the way, you might want to let go of the lady now, before you leave permanent damage to her arm."

Sharona turned towards the window as soon as she was released, taking a deep breath and massaging her throbbing shoulder. Thank God he'd done it immediately, otherwise it wouldn't have taken her long to start sobbing with pain. Her forehead wrinkled as she tried figuring out why Kaiba would be there-wasn't that man mad at her? He'd looked so unwilling to associate himself with anyone close to Pegasus before…Why would he come to her aid like a…a…Prince Charming on a white horse.

Despite that reality constantly proved it wrong, she couldn't shake the idea of a knight in shining armor coming to sweep her off her feet out of her head. The idea that a perfect man would be out there, ready to sweep her off her feet and carry her to a world of happily-ever-afters was just too amazing for her to give up. Though, she had grown so used to hardships that the idea that as soon as things got unbearable for her somebody would step in and take things for her seemed unfair…why should she work so hard for somebody to stop her before her best triumph.

It was an unfair world…but then again, there were no more perfect men in this world, and with the way how things worked, even if there were any, they wouldn't come for her.

Which made the present situation so much harder to believe. Sharona half-turned towards the men, listening to them argue, a frown crossing her face as she watched Kaiba.

"How dare you march in here and give orders?!" Grades yelled.

"I believe the same question can be applied to you too." Came the cold reply

"I am the orchestra's concertmaster, I have to make sure everything runs smoothly! Everyone must obey to me!"

"In order for one to be concertmaster, his playing must be plausible at best." Seto said evenly "Yours is like shit, and if your conductor wasn't so meek, he would've told you instead of waiting for you to see it yourself."

"WHAT?!" the violinist's face was black and blue with anger "You march in here, butt into a private conversation and say MY playing is bad?! Who do you think you are?!"

"A person who has ears. And I particularly care for them, so I prefer to give my money to listen to music that wouldn't kill them permanently. Your playing may pass if you are doing a solo or a recital, but in a concerto, especially as a concertmaster, it is absolutely unacceptable. You play so loudly that the pitch is unbearable. A screeching cat is preferable to it. Do you think people would like to hear you in a concerto if you can't even play with other people? Mahler's 3rd symphony isn't a solo made especially for you! Before you tell others how to play, you should make sure that your music is exemplary for them. You don't even listen to your fellow musicians!"

"And who, exactly, are you?" Grades said, slowly regaining some composure "You can't just come in here and tell people how to play, you know. What is your instrument?"

"I'm a marketing and economics student." Seto replied evenly "I don't study here."

"Hah! Well, I've won every violin competition that has been thrown in this state, so unless you can do better, I suggest you leave me and the lady here…" he spat the word as if he doubted its validity "…to finish our conversation."

"I don't study in this measly university, but I've played with the New York Philharmonics. We gave shows for an entire month, so perhaps if you look up the programs from then you'd know who I am. I've been a soloist and a second violin, and I've had the good fortune of being schooled by some of the best. Perhaps you've heard of Isaac Graham?"

"Maestro Graham?! We…he is to have a seminar in Seattle soon!" Grades blanched "I'm one of the people this university recommended for it!"

"Oh? Well, then, tell him that Seto sends his regards. IF you get close enough to him, that is. I think the third-class players are only allowed to listen from the back room." The smirk that played on his lips was downright feral. Sharona's frown deepened.

He wasn't kidding. She knew from his file that he'd been schooled by Maestro Isaac Graham when he was just twelve, and that a year later he was already playing with a famous orchestra. But…why would he actually go all-out on that idiot was beyond her. Seto Kaiba was nothing if not proud, and he considered it beneath him to actually lay out his personal accomplishments in front of anybody. This was not like him. Why would he do that if it wasn't absolutely necessary?

She didn't like where her thoughts were going.

* * *

Meanwhile, Grades had changed at least a dozen different colors, starting from red through yellow to purple with stripes, until he started babbling incoherently.

"You….he…New York…ah…"

"I see this was too much for you to handle." Kaiba said as he led him with a pat on the back towards the door "Why don't you come back when you find the guts to talk to me again and maybe I'll help you play better."

* * *

He slammed the door shut before the man had managed a complete word, then turned towards Sharona. She was back to cleaning the ends of the flute, her face pensive, as if it was a task that required all her attention. But, as soon as she felt his eyes on her, she spoke:

"New York Philharmonics, huh? I'm humbled." A sigh left her lips as she held her instrument up to the light for inspection "Though you shouldn't have told him all that. Now he won't leave Maestro Graham alone until he tells him you were his student."

"If Maestro Graham even hears that guy play, he wouldn't come in a mile radius from him." Seto replied

"Yeah. I guess he's not as meek as our conductor."

"Don't tell me you'll defend the orchestra's honor now, are you?" he laughed "If you're as good as people rumor you to be, you'd know that those guys are all smoke and no fire."

"I know. But the conductor is so good because he's so meek." She replied evenly "He expects us to be good enough to learn from our mistakes, that way there's no pressure during practice and we can work more. Although I have to say, that concertmaster is a pain in the neck."

"So why haven't you shot him down yet, I wonder. You seemed in a tight position back then."

"I've seen worse." She turned her head to face him "But thank you for stepping in. I think I wouldn't have had the patience to handle the situation with such decorum."

"You're welcome." Seto said, before opening his school bag and pulling out a package from it "These are for you."

She shot a curious look, first at him and then at the object in his hands, wrapped in a green shopping bad "Me?"

"Yes, you. Since your previous pair didn't look like it would last long. I think size six would do you good." Gods, this was embarrassing. How did he end up stooping so low?!

"I'm wearing six and a half, really. And my old pair's fine, if that was your concern."

Alright. No more Mr. Nice-guy.

"You could accept them as a show of gratitude, you know." He replied, his voice edging just a bit "For saving your dignity back then."

"I believe I gave you my hearted thanks on that matter." She replied "As I know you wouldn't accept anything from me but honesty."

"That, you've figured out well. But I hope you process why I've come here. It would be very disappointing otherwise." The mocking tone he used did the trick. She looked up, eyebrow arching up.

"Disappointing? How so?" he only titled his head to the side, looking at her expectantly. Sharona chuckled "Am I to take that you, the almighty Seto Kaiba, actually came here to make amends."

"I don't have all day, you know." He said, kicking the bag into her direction. "Well?"

She shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips, then actually bent down to take it. Her shoulder protested slightly, but it didn't matter-when she looked up, he was actually smirking back at her. "I still have to tell you, my size is six and a half."

"The receipt is inside, you can go change them for another pair." He replied "Have it in mind, though, I won't tolerate you waxing eloquent about your Boss' virtues in front of me."

"Wasn't planning to. He told me to make friends with you, that's all."

"All?" he remembered the crude comments and suspicious looks she'd been giving him from time to time "No bonus for a roll between the sheets."

"The roll itself would've been a bonus, from what I've heard." She laughed "But no. If you can't win an argument without out shouting or sleeping with your opponent, then your victory isn't worth it. As for the orders, he just told me to prepare you for a burying of the hatchet, not brainwashing you into believing he's your closest friend. You know, a friendly chat, preferably over a drink and snacks, and maybe drop a gentle, delicate, absolutely invisible, little, teensy-weensy, transparent hint from time to time."

"You're doing an amazing job at it, let me tell you." He sighed, shaking his head "I'm expecting to see you tomorrow at noon. Another day spent in the company of Yugi and his idiots and I just might go insane."

"We'll see." The cavity-sweet smile was telling him that she wasn't giving up that easily. But neither was he.

"We most certainly shall." Was the reply

The next day, she was back on their usual spot, with a lunch for herself and an apple for him. By Friday, the dreams stopped. By the end of the week, Seto felt more like himself again.

* * *

To give him credit when it was due, he did convince her involuntarily to visit a doctor. She just couldn't keep playing around with her health like that-if her hand gave out, she wouldn't be able to play again, and that meant that she wouldn't be able to rub it in Grades' face when she smite the audience off their feet in December. However, she had a good mind to turn on her heel and run a good number of times, much to her shame.

At first it wasn't that hard-she'd filled the paperwork and then gotten the instructions. Concentrating on the administrator's words easily distracted her from the sick people, nurses and doctors around her. It was just like the office, she thought as she made her way to the room pointed out to her. No need to worry.

Only now she was sitting on an old plastic chair that screeched angrily whenever she moved, fumbling with her number and biting her lip as she examined her surroundings. White walls, linoleum covered floors, people hunched over with pains and aches nobody could determine, all sighing and complaining…occasionally, a wheel chair would pass by, carrying a person half-lost into their own little world of invalidity. Nurses with suspiciously clean uniforms would walk, speaking quietly, and maybe, just maybe, the name and number of someone would be called. All this was drenched in that particular, sharp smell you could get only in hospitals, the kind that usually would make her sick as soon as she felt a hint of it. For now, she was soldiering on, but for how long?

Well, she'd gotten so far. And there was really no use running now that she had a health insurance and a legal ID.

Sharona tried to relax and think about a more pleasant thing. Like maybe what would've happened if she had broken down back then. Not when that slimy Grades held her, hell no! Just when Seto showed him out and the door was safely closed, she would faint, he would panic, carry her in his arms all the way to the hospital and stay with her while the doctors brought her to. Maybe he'd hold her hand and call her pet names and smile when she came to life and tell her she's beautiful…

Now, now, let's not take it over the top, she thought with amusement. Fainting wasn't half as romantic as people thought it was, and it was a lot more graceless and unsightly than attractive. Not to mention that Seto Kaiba wasn't the type of weak man who would panic at the sight of a little swoon, let alone cradle her in his arms or make a scene or call her names. Even the idea that he would bother bringing her a glass of water with sugar was laughable, let alone him sitting with her until she was better.

But maybe, her mind went on, lightening up her mood, maybe he would've borrowed a page from her, asking her if he was so irresistible she couldn't handle him. Then, forgetting entirely her phobia of hospitals, she imagined what it would be like if her doctor looked just like Kaiba…

With such thoughts in mind, the line wasn't so much endless, and though her physician didn't look at all like her target, the examination wasn't filled with nervous gulping and looking around for security cameras. She wished that they opened the window, though. Thankfully, the examination was over too quickly for her to panic.

"Well, Miss., nothing seems to be wrong with you." The doctor said as he sat down on his desk. Sharona rose from her seat, re-arranging her clothes, anxious to leave as soon as possible "Your shoulder was popped back on rather coarsely though…"

"I think it popped itself back on. I hit it twice before I managed to scramble out of the metro." She smiled, taking a deep breath to calm herself

"Well, whatever the reason, nothing seems to be badly damaged. Probably a nerve got hit, and your joint became enflamed. Not a very pretty picture, but it's nothing some antibiotics can't fix. It was very thoughtful of you to bandage it up."

"Yeah, well…hooray for me!" was he stalking his time? Gods, she was getting paranoid "So, there won't be any permanent damage to my arm."

"No. But there's the question with your tolerance to medicine. Your body appears to…process them too quickly, without giving them a chance to work. It won't affect your healing process, but I'm afraid that the only pills I can give you are very strong and you can't take more than one a day."

She thought about it-strong pills plus a quick digestion of all sorts of antibiotics plus once a day equals to…

"You're saying that it might take a little longer for me to heal, even though if it's just a troublesome joint?" she hazarded

"Well…yes. And with these, you can't take any painkillers. They might react badly with your medicine. It might not be until a few months before you're all better."

"Ah…" she scratched her ankle with her opposite heel "I think I can take that chance."

After all, she had discovered a whole new brand of painkillers.

* * *

A/N-Still waiting for reviews...T.T On a happier note, I got a haircut. With a fringe! (jeez, I'm so easy to please)


	6. Chapter 6

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Five-minute wonder

The "Grades rescue", as Sharona nicknamed the event, was the first milestone in a relationship that could be described as…rocky. Their meetings for lunch were re-established and Kaiba appeared to be more at ease with his new situation as the university's newest bad guy. He wasn't the type of guy that would let his cool easily, but somehow with her, that happened too often for him to try and put up a façade when he was talking to her.

The knowledge of that brought her a sort of little pleasure in the intimacy, the secret. She was the person who had a little more insight in that complicated persona, and even though he didn't particularly like posing himself into her power like that, he still sought her company.

As the weather grew cold and rainy, they moved their meetings from the park to the bar of a nearby café, swapped numbers and slowly moved into the road of becoming what people referred to as "best buds". It would've gone exactly as Pegasus had wanted, if Sharona hadn't warned Seto beforehand why she had approached him.

Still, he kept it up. For the first time he spoke to a person as openly and sincerely, not counting Mokuba of course. He texted her often and read her messages with the fervor of a dying man, then replied. He didn't even mind it when she invited herself into his office after a jog, to have a chat with him or do homework, sprawled across his floor as if it was her living room…It didn't annoy him when she stayed at his assistant's desk for half an hour discussing fashion (after all, Sam was gay and Sharona seemed as disinterested in a relationship as ever), just the sound of her voice seemed enough to calm him down.

If that was friendship, then why on Earth hadn't he done this before?

These reflections passed through his head as he stood in line in the stupid cafeteria, on a particularly rainy Wednesday. He'd told her not to wait for him, excusing himself with an engagement, but in truth, he didn't want either of them catching a pneumonia waiting for the other. His eyes zeroed on Yugi and Co., as if to remind him why he preferred to stay alone.

Yeah…those guys…the epitome of what he didn't want to be-mushy, transparent and easily touchable. He knew exactly what to tell Joey and Tristan to get them out of their skin, and Yugi was so simple-minded that it was cruel to torture him…Kaiba turned his attention back to the lunch lady, paid for his meal and sought out the more secluded table in the cafeteria to hide himself. That task wasn't too hard after his reputation had spread. Whenever he stood, he seemed to envelop the surrounding environment with a bubble of loneliness and silence. Thank god he had a phone and free texts to Sharona, otherwise he would've flipped. The gooey and bitter-sweet atmosphere around his adversary and his gang was spreading like a poisonous cloud all over the entire school.

A quiet beep signaled that she had responded to his latest enquiry and he quickly picked it up.

"_Sorry, Kaiba-boy, I still got wet. Not even you can run through the drops."_

He sighed and typed down: _"An experiment can be arranged."_

Picking at his food, he stared around again and was surprised to find another addition to Yugi's table. A tall sandy blonde that looked like he'd just stepped out of the cover of a fashion magazine. Seto's mood dropped by another ten degrees. The day was turning out for the worst. Despite the fact that his social experiment was starting to border with obsession, he took his phone and chose "Quick dial, No. 2".

Today, he was going to reach for his favorite drug a little sooner than he wanted:

_"You know, I really think I've succeeded."_ Sharona said in place of the usual greetings_. "You are head over heals in love with me!"_

"You wish." He snapped coldly. She replied with a loud, carefree laugh.

"_One day you'll come to the conclusion. I'm patient."_

"Get ready for a long wait then." Was the biting line, usually the one that initiated the real conversation "Couldn't you get a cab? I'm warning you, if you're aspiring to turn me into a guilty nurse, you're wasting your time."

"_Mm, not really, but it's an idea."_ She said. Seto strained his ears-was that rustling of clothing in the background?

"What are you doing there?"

_"Hmm?"_ her voice was muffled _"Getting ready for ballet practice. Without our concertmaster, the rehearsals are postponed until the next week and I was thinking about catching up with everyone."_

"You never catch up with anyone."

"_There's a first for everything. So what's eating you?"_

"Vise versa. A sandwich."

She barked a laugh _"Oh, priceless! Now seriously, what's going on. You don't just call to say hi, unless you're terribly, irrevocably and irreversibly in lo…"_

"I'm annoyed." He said courtly, stopping the flow of words immediately.

"_Oh…"_ now she was serious _"Another love-love attack from your favorite classmates?"_

"Worse. They're moving up towards the elite." Because it was a phone conversation, their sentences were short and to the point…but their pauses spoke volumes.

"_I thought such petty hierarchies didn't matter to you, oh Kaiba-all-mighty! Is it that bad?"_

"They will get over their heads and start thinking that everyone should worship them because they're well-known."

_"You don't want others like you."_

"Precisely."

There was silence. _"Wanna talk about it?"_

"Seven o'clock, same place."

* * *

Same place was the sushi restaurant where they had moved their little meetings to when the rainy season started. It was convenient since it was equally close to his office, his dorms and the park where she, even when there was a typhoon, went for her daily jog. It was popular enough, one that you expected to be full in the evenings, but you could always find a couple of seats at the bar. That was the best part of it-they could sit next to each other and talk all night without looking like they knew each other. A plus for someone who had a hard time socializing.

She was exactly five minutes late, just when he was wondering whether he would have to fight people for her seat or not. Without saying a word, she plastered herself on the chair next to him an leaned on the bar, then grinned to one of the chefs. The man waved at her with the hand that held the kitchen knife, then yelled to the bartender that their favorite regular was here.

"Tea, Shara?" the latter asked, approaching them

"Sake, please. I'm starting up early tonight." She smiled, before pulling out her chopsticks from her pocket.

"You sure look like you need something warm." Kaiba muttered, not looking up from the sashimi in front of him. Her hair was tied in a messy bun on her head, wet locks fell out of place, soaking the shoulders of her black coat. The said garment was halfway open, revealing the wrinkled gray dress she wore underneath.

"Are you volunteering?" Sharona teased

"It's good to see that the rain didn't damage anything vital." He rolled his eyes "You're a bloody mess."

"Incorrect. I am a wrinkled mess. Trust me, I've been all sorts of messes and I already know how to grade them."

"Forgive my slight lexical mistake. I'm not in a mood to be perfect."

"I'm already changing you…" she laughed. Her drink arrived and she swallowed the tiny cup of sake in one gulp, before turning her attention to the food. Picking up a plate, she hummed happily, not once looking at the man next to her.

"You really are impossible, do you know?" Seto said

"A girl needs some pampering from time to time. You can't deny me the pleasure of congratulating myself for doing this much, Kaiba."

"If you only were a little more self-aware, you would've made a wonderful assistant."

"You mean one of those office ladies, with uniformed suits and polite smiles? The ones who arrange your business meetings and pick out make-up presents for your girlfriends? The absolutely asexual secretaries that pick up the phone and type your speeches for you?"

"You make it sound much worse than it is."

"B-O-R-I-N-G! Living for someone else is an absolute waste of time. If I wanted to be enslaved I would've gotten myself adopted into Malaysia."

"I was trying to make a compliment, stupid! Weren't you supposed to rejoice in your success?"

"You're not doing a good job at it, Kaiba. So instead of talking about me, how about we talk about you. What's been eating you?"

"Yugi Moutou."

"You've had that problem for years, silly."

"Yeah, well…now thanks to him and his idiots, I'm turning into a total outsider. And don't tell me I've always been an outsider, it's not true." She shrugged, urging him to continue silently "Yugi and his friends are becoming quite a sensation around campus, and unfortunately they're moving up the staircase. And thanks to their inability to keep their mouths shut, everybody know how I'm a manipulative, abusive and spoiled prick."

She cackled. "Well, can't argue about the last part."

"Spoiled?"

"Prick. But on another note, why are you so pissed? You've never cared about such things before."

"I happened to aspire a little different life here than in high school." He replied "Start anew, actually find people that are worth socializing with. You're loud, obnoxious and impossible, but you happen to be the only one intelligent enough to speak to around here."

"You're getting the hand of it now."

"What?"

"The flattering." She grinned, earning a low growl from him

"Can you at least for five seconds focus on anything but yourself." She made a mock-peace sign and took a bite from her dish "What I'm saying is that I feel slowly pushed into the role of a stereotypical villain, something I'm not particularly pleased with."

"Your past actions contradict it, though." Sharona said. Her voice was even, without holding an ounce of the true meaning of those words. "However, you don't consider it the act of a villain."

"Because I had reasons. Are you going to blame me again for not forgiving your boss?"

"It's not about forgiveness, Kaiba, it's about whether you are willing to say that people should act adequately to the situation they are placed in and whether others are allowed to judge without knowing all the circumstances. There is a difference." Changing the subject quickly, she turned to him "So don't tell me that the focus is misplaced now…Little Yugi is no longer the center of the action?"

"He's still the only damn creature I can't beat in a duel." He growled "However, he seems to have befriended some guy that makes me absolutely sick. Soon, they'll be using him as an example of what I'm not, and this will get…"

"Annoying." She finished for him "Local star?"

"Just the next five-minute wonder." Seto spat with disgust "Rich daddy's boy, captain of the football team, tall, blond and handsome, dates the same girl since high school, both have extremely high marks, and apparently his personality is picture perfect."

"And you're pissed because…" she trailed off

"Because the mere idea of my name being associated with someone like that is sickening. We have nothing in common."

"Because he's tall, blond and handsome, dates the same girl since high school, captain of the football team and has a perfect personality?"

"Because that average-minded lot proclaimed him to be some sort of king, when he hasn't worked a day in his life. Essentially, we are as different as the sun and the moon. However, we are put on the same steep because we're both rich, and apparently he is what I'm supposed to aspire to. As if!"

"You're pissed because of what people think…" she shook her head "It's not like they're about to turn this into some sort of feud between you two. For that, you guys have to have spoken to each other at least once."

"That's not much of a consolation. I don't want to imagine what's going to happen soon. If anyone dares make some condescending comment that I should be pitied instead of despised, I'll pull his eyes out."

"You do that, tiger." Sharona grinned "Though you shouldn't get so worked up. You've lived with that fact since you were thirteen. If those guys want to pull such childish pranks on you, they should be pitied, not you. You know your worth, that should be enough."

"I know. It's just a little frustrating, after I went through all the trouble preparing for a fresh start." He played with his fork "Which reminds me, Sharona, I have a favor to ask of you."

"I've been waiting for that moment forever." She swallowed quickly and turned fully towards him, popping on an elbow and grinning broadly

"Not that favor." His eyes rolled, although _some_ amusement leaked through his voice "But now that you mentioned it, I've been curious…what is with those continuous sexual references from you. Other than the obvious."

"The obvious?" Blond eyebrows lifted up to emphasize on the question.

"Your task. Your boss sent you to make friends with me and you started by making lewd suggestions with the idea that it's what guys want. Now that you know it's not what I want, why are you continuing? You don't look like the kind of girl to do stuff like that."

"The girl to do stuff like that…" she mused "You mean the goody-goody two shoes? The honor student with no boyfriend or friends out of the A+ class? The perfect combination of smart and gorgeous that is forever traumatized by her lack of social skills because she is simply too…"

"Alright, I can already see that you're not the regular smart-student. And it's clear you don't like being categorized…" he paused, taking in her disgusted face as best as he could, before he added "That's not what I meant, though. I just thought that your taste is too good for things like that."

And then a miracle happened. Sharona was one hundred, absolutely, billion percent serious and focused. For a good ten seconds, her face was completely expressionless too…Then she shrugged into a perfectly disinterested look. "I'm bored, I guess."

"You said it as if I knew what you're talking about…" Seto commented

"Don't you? You're a genius that is never challenged at school, hardly challenged in real life, with no friends that can provide basic amusement. If that's what a genius feels like, what is left for us middle-class losers?"

"You don't consider yourself a middle-class loser, Sharona."

"Ah, you caught me."

"Some people may consider this presumptuous."

"Then why are you still talking to me?"

* * *

They paid for their meal and left the restaurant, walking together through the crowded street. Despite the rain, people still fought ahead, creating a real-life stampede in the heart of the big city. Or was it only because of the umbrellas? Seto couldn't decide, but held his high in the air because a/ it was the only way he could make sure that he didn't tear somebody's eyes out, and b/ because it provided both of them some protection without causing suspicion. PDA could be such a pain the ass, especially if you were a person everybody made false accusations for.

"You still haven't told me what the favor was!" she yelled over the chorus of car honks and people

"In a second!" he responded suchlike, before leading the way to the park. Dark, muddy, intimate park, which happened to possess a wonderful straight alley that led to her district. It gave them a few minutes alone time, even though he didn't have an idea why would they need it.

It had stopped raining, so he put his umbrella away and she moved out of his personal space. Breathe normally.

"Do you have plans for Friday?"

"Is that a date proposal?" she asked, not bothering to beat about the bush

"I'm going on a fundraiser in the local museum and I need somebody with me."

"You're not the one for fundraisers."

"There are important enough people coming. Potential investors in Kaiba Corp. and old ones as well…people I lost thanks to your boss' little game with the board of directors."

"You don't need them."

"Don't hope that through your dossier-acquired insight in my life and a methodical elimination of every reason for me to go there you'll obtain a reassurance that I like you." Kaiba snapped "Unlike most trivialities in life, running a company like mine takes a lot of money and it's not a good thing to rely solely on a certain number of people. You always have to seek out new investors because if some of the old ones decide to break off their ties with you for one reason or another, you won't be entirely on the red. And before you ask, you always find reasons if you're looking for them."

"I wasn't going to ask, but thanks for the 'business-for-idiots' speech." She rolled her eyes "It must be the longest monologue I've gotten out of you."

"I believe I was this eloquent when I last spoke with Mr. Grades."

"I never made you say that."

"Point taken."

"So, you need to get some juicy funds for your company by being a good Samarian for one night, donate money for sick kiddies and model around a big banquet hall with a beautiful woman attached to your arm…"

"If you want to put it in a nutshell, that's a good cut. Although my contributes to charity are more regular than most of my…ahem, brothers-in-arms, they are not very public, and the press hasn't been good to me since I stopped making an appearance at tournaments."

"You can always go for the Chess-masters'." Sharona said "But you know, if I come with you, it might draw some unwanted attention. The press might want to know who that woman with you is."

"Which is exactly why I'm asking you-they will know if I paid for a companion, and that is just about as worse as coming alone and talking to no-one. If I hired anyone or asked some random girl from that swarm that follows me at school, they would either dress inappropriately or drink a lot, or both. They would then make a scene, probably listing out all my bad qualities and raving about how bitter they were because I am using them. It's fan-girl nature, and bad publicity. You, however, have no scruples about being used…" at that, she mock-curtsied "…And I have hopes that you will pass on the message I want."

"Which is?" they were nearly out of the park now, a few more steps separated them from the flow of traffic.

"A sophisticated companion. One that would look good on pictures but isn't showy. One that understands wine and fashion trends without making a fool out of herself. A social butterfly that would hopefully attract people to me and be able to soothe the bad impression I'm making."

"And you think I can do it?"

"Yes. Because, whether you like it or not, you are honor student material in the making!" he pinched her nose before pushing her (gently) into the river of people. He didn't have to listen to her screaming protest to know she had agreed.

It wasn't until he came back to the dorms that he realized that she might not have a dress for the occasion.

* * *

He never had a chance to ask though. Because the Cassandra-like moment in the cafeteria (aka predicting something nobody would believe in) was the marking of an entirely new world of torture for him. And it started just as he woke up on Thursday morning.

The night had been peaceful and nightmare-free, and he had gotten up early as usual for a hot shower and his five minutes of quietness before the school came back to life. Staying under the water was helping him isolate himself and think. The subject for today was probably going to be 'Under what pretext shall I call Sharona and in what roundabout way can I ask her if she has a dress for the night?'

By the time he was finished, he had come to the conclusion that asking her was absolutely pointless because, of course, she would have a dress and he would look like an idiot. She wouldn't have played so much with him the other night if she didn't plan on coming. And if she was going to partake in a recital in December with the rest of the orchestra, she was bound to have some delicate, classing and absolutely un-sexy garment somewhere. And even if she didn't have that, she would have to buy one sooner or later. And her "patron" was bound to have given her a fat trust fund for her little mission in case she needed to charge her weapons.

The dorm showers represented a large section in the end of each floor, with a line of cracked mirrors and white porcelain sinks occupying one wall and about two dozens of tiled cubicles taking up the rest of the premises. A strange way of offering privacy, especially to students that were mostly guys (he didn't count the ones that came by twenty times per day just to watch as male), but today it was a blessing because he didn't get to look at his old classmates in the eye when they stepped into the room.

"Hey, last night was fun, wasn't it?!" Joey's trademark accent had the fine hairs on Kaiba's neck stand up on their edge, but he didn't move from his cubicle. "It was a great idea taking Mark with us at the bar."

"I don't know, Joey…." Yugi said hesitantly "I still don't get it why should everyone drink alcohol as a way to chill from classes."

"Because it's fun. There's a reason why everyone's doing it, after all. They wouldn't waste their time with something that isn't fun, right?" No, but they would waste it in order to look cool and earn social status, Kaiba thought smugly, knowing that was exactly why Wheeler would do it.

"Ah, it's not such a big deal." Tristan added "I mean, Mark didn't drink anything either, and he still managed to draw more girls than all of us combined. I'm telling you, that guy should never break up with his girlfriend."

"Why?"

"Because if he did, he would never be able to pull his pants back on again and we'll be left high and dry for a long time."

A bark of laughter, just before: "Well, we should be glad that Kaiba is such a stick-in-the-ass, otherwise it would've been absolutely tragic."

"I still think he's a nice guy deep inside." Yugi intervened, and Seto rolled his eyes-great, another dose of friendly condescension.

"Well, good luck with digging him out. You'll probably need a can opener. Though I'm glad that Mark showed us around town after the bar closed-I mean, it gives back my faith in the upper crust!"

"Yeah. It's good to know that they're not all like Kaiba."

The CEO decided that it was enough and stalked out of the bathroom before the Looney gang spotted him. Their attempts at cynics and mockery were still flawed, like blunt arrows that couldn't really hurt anyone…but it still pissed him off. Why? Because…because it just did. Because it felt like a curse, as if he was nailed to a cross of his own and was forced to carry it for an eternity. He'd read once a legend that once in a while a sinner was turned into a dog and had a sort of wooden mace tied around his neck, one that would hit him with every step he made. Was it his punishment? Sure he'd been mean, but…

Another legend told of a pregnant woman that was once attacked at the field where she worked by a rabid dog. Then, after it tore her dress and ran away, her husband came. He never believed her and laughed at the stories she had made up, but then she was terrified to see some of the cloth from her dress stuck between his teeth. Legend said that there is a dormant beast lying in everyone of us, that just waits for the right moment to whip out and attack the ones closest to us, tear their clothes and them walk around with the evidence in their mouth, with no memory of this ever happening.

It did fit the context interestingly.

So was he a sinner or just a man that hurt others almost lethally without knowing it? And he was supposed to carry the weight of that crime now that he was far away from his prestige, his brother and his company, his defenses?

Suddenly, he had a striking image of himself pinned to some desert cleavage in the middle of the African continent, without food or water, left to the mercy of the hawks and flies. Then somebody wiped his brow with a cloth, and stepped out of sight before he could get a good look at their face.

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

**Anyone's trouble**

The cyber space themed nightmares were officially over now, with a three weeks anniversary of their last appearance. Yuppie! However, as he was now threatened to lose his mind through insomnia, Kaiba wasn't sure if they had been such a bad thing. At least he'd been able to get some rest…if you could call the anxiety and unease rest.

Oh well...at least he was sure he wasn't screaming in his sleep anymore. Losing control, even when unconscious, was unacceptable.

The day passed without any great distress, safe for the usual love-love attacks from Yugi and Co. At lunch they sat with Mart Stevens again, and apparently Perfect Boy talked to them about his amazing life because he often heard exclamations like: "Wow!", "Great!" and, his personal favorite "I never thought such a thing could be done!" Soon, he was sure, they would start telling him about their lives at high school and how they (read: Joey), always were made to feel insignificant thanks to his Royal Highness Seto Kaiba.

To tell the truth, it hadn't been that bad. Really, why did they have to make him the antagonist, just because he was a rich boy who had high standards in everything? Who didn't let anyone help him because it felt beneath him? Who didn't want anyone to share the feeling of success with him because he'd worked all his life for every single thing? Who didn't want friends because he was bound to chase them away anyway? Who wanted nothing but to be left alone?

Seto felt a headache coming up-the same, continuous migraine that came over him whenever he got too emotional. Really, what was the point of dwelling on the past? Of asking yourself what would've happened if you did this or that? Of drowning into self-pity for not being what people expected you to be? Of asking whether it was too much for anyone to do anything for you? That was how the world was. People wanted perfection, they reached for it, and while he was imperfect, there were always guys like Mark Stevens-smart, handsome, rich and with a great personality.

Like a male DearS. Just looking at how everyone treated him, Kaiba was almost certain that he could be used as a model for someone if they decided to make a reverse bishojo anime, with the slight difference that Mark wouldn't be caught dead walking around naked in some bush.

Suddenly losing his appetite, he got up and cleaned his table. One of his professors had gone off to a seminar in Ottawa, and he was going to profit from the free lecture time by going on a walk. Maybe pass through Sharona's school. She was supposed to be in St. Catherine's today…

Seto busied himself by calculating how much time it would take him to get into the building and find her classes...he knew that afterwards, she would run to the music academy to see if Grades had accepted her as the star of the Christmas show, so maybe he could walk with her. It seemed like the better option, those nuns got touchy when they saw men around their precious school. Too busy to be in his own little world, he failed to see what was coming in front of him.

To his credit, he didn't wall flat on the floor. However, he did trip over the chair that fell in front of him and stuttered a bit, causing some papers to fall off his tray. For a split second, he suddenly became very well aware of several things. One, that the entire Mess Hall had gone quiet and tense with anticipation. Two, he had just passed Yugi's table. And three, the leg he had tripped over belonged to no other than Perfect Mark.

Oh, they had bonded wonderfully these last 24 hours, hadn't they.

"Oh, sorry about that." The perpetrator laughed. Seto looked up, eyebrow raised at him, his expression only mildly annoyed. Like he was giving them the satisfaction of blowing in their faces. "Didn't see you there. Long legs can be a bother sometime."

Just as he felt the rage bubbling up inside of him, he caught the clock striking 12.30. He had exactly half an hour to intercept Sharona on her route, which meant he didn't have time to cause a scandal. Remembering their conversation from last night suffocated the protests of his mind, and suddenly, he had a revelation…

"No, it's my fault." He replied, smiling (SMILING, not snarling) at the stunned table "I wasn't paying attention."

Then, with a swift kick, he straightened out the chair that Mark had knocked over, and continued on his way, saying: "Don't forget to clean that mess up."

* * *

"You WHAT?" Sharona squeaked when he told her about the cafeteria incident. He rolled his eyes at her strange voice, but he could attribute it to the fact that she was trying to make her way through a crowded street wearing a very restricting uniform.

Seto's eyes zeroed on the skirt that showed under the hem of her black coat and tried not to wince at the pure awfulness of it. Really, what did those people think, making an outfit so decidedly ugly-a high collared dress the color of mud with a skirt that reached her ankles, so straight that he didn't know how those girls sat. Or walked. Or ran. Sharona seemed to manage it, but she seemed capable of many things. As they moved through the crowd, she tugged at the pins that held her hair up (braids of evil, as the teachers called them), releasing her heavy hair down, just to have it wriggled back into a ponytail in the next moment.

Kaiba frowned. She was indeed the kind of person who people referred to as 'something'. Whenever he had passed through her schools and seen her, teachers always seemed to scold her for some offence or another. She appeared….well, hot, in whatever she wore. Maybe it was her hair-the soft curls seemed distracting even when she wore that brown monstrosity.

"I told him to clean the mess up."

"Shit, Kaiba, if I didn't know you hated it, I would've hugged you." She said, while maneuvering between an old granny and a skater.

"Why?" he asked, slightly distorted

"To congratulate you on your success, silly!" she exclaimed, whirling around and causing a slight disturbance in the traffic. Some people glared at her angrily for making them change their course…I was like them a few weeks ago, Seto thought incredulously, wondering why did she decide that he needed to see her smile. Then she pursued her course, making him groan and run after her.

"You know…" he said as the academy finally came into view "…You could've just said Congratulations."

"What's the point? People say shit like that all the time and never mean it. Why bother say anything you can't back up with a gesture or feeling?"

Touché, he thought.

* * *

Friday passed without any great disturbances-apparently the cafeteria incident and caused a momentarily disturbance in the reign of King Mark and his loyal subordinates. Naturally, Joey and Tristan were going to insist on a payback, but now Kaiba was ready to tell them to bring it on. He'd seen the weak link, and he was ready to hit it until it broke.

He informed the dorm manager that he might come back really late, or be absent through the night. To his surprise, the man had nodded and let him go without any extra questions. Seto figured it was because on the weekends everyone was missing, and didn't let it get to him. He worked until six, then changed into his tux, left his old clothes in the office and got out. Sharona had pranked his telephone, which meant that she was waiting for him in front of the building in a cab.

The ride to the banquet hall was slow and quiet, thanks to the rain and the traffic jams. Seto was feeling uneasy and jumpy, and with every passing minute his answers to the friendly enquiries of the driver became more and more biting, until Sharona promptly put a hand on his knee and squeezed.

"Stop freaking out, darling, everything will be fine. Just listen to the music and relax." She smiled, before informing the driver "We're going to his niece's birthday and he has a weak spot for her."

"Ahh, children. I remembered when my boy was born, I drove people around for free for a week straight." The man nodded and launched into a monologue about kids, encouraged by Sharona's occasional gasps and questions. Seto huffed and tried following her advice about the music, but when he saw how enthusiastic she was about the conversation, he listened to it instead. Apparently, the man had two children, four nieces and three nephews, all 'the best kids in the world', who were both talented and pretty. He showed her the pictures suspended next to the air freshener and earned a mountain of compliments for them, and although Seto couldn't really see any beauty or striking genius in the small, wrinkled faces, he caught himself nodding whenever she asked him if those weren't the most precious children in the world.

"What got you so excited on the subject?" he asked, after they were walking on their own two feet again. The cab was speeding away, but they had already managed to run between the drops to the drier foyer of the banquet hall.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She replied evenly, turning towards the cloakroom

"Don't play dumb, it doesn't…suit…you…" he mumbled, watching her give her coat to the lady in charge. "Well…"

"What?" she turned towards him, fixing a stray curl with her hand "You said it would be posh, right?"

"Yeah…I just…" his eyes trailed over her grab, before going up again. She crossed her arms and pouted, waiting for him to gather up his wits enough to form a coherent sentence.

To tell the truth he'd doubted if she could make it. However, looking at her now, he was feeling rather silly for his thoughts. Pegasus wouldn't have sent her if he wasn't sure she was perfect for the job, after all. Maybe it was his previous mistakes in the choice of a partner that made hims so suspicious. Or maybe it was her own strange personality.

Whatever the case, he'd been mistaken. Sharona had donned a flowing dress with bell sleeves and a V neck that ended just above her breasts, emphasizing on the white, flawless skin of her neck and bust. The asymmetric skirt was just below her knees, creating the illusion that she swam in the material whenever she moved. It was a lovely color, blue like forget-me-nots, and it somehow made her beauty stand out without being scandalous. She'd done something with her hair too, twisting it into a but on the back of her head and letting stray ringlets fall around her face and ears. The way she had done it made her natural blond color seem almost white, a trick enhanced by the way the light flickered in her eyes and made them look from steel gray to almost transparently white. No jewels, safe for a pair of earrings, and no accessories but a handbag that didn't look big enough to contain enough money even for a cab ride.

She looked like a beautiful older woman, one that had not only been born into the highest circles of society, but also had practically made them. Her entire air spoke of fashion and fortune. And if he didn't know better, he would've said that she was at least 35 years old. Well preserved, but yeah, older than him.

He didn't have time to react, because she mumbled the name "Neidlemayer" into his ear, took his hand and walked to the banquet hall.

The metamorphosis was incredible. As soon as they stepped through the door, she turned from a mouthy schoolgirl into a social butterfly. She stood close, but always with a bit behind him, letting him lead her around. She smiled and nodded, but didn't speak until he introduced her, and then did some small talk with the ladies. Seto's concerns about her faded away when he heard her complimenting some woman's choice of shoes as an accessory to some dress, and the CEO focused on his own goal, to speak to the investors.

"Kaiba-kun…" Oota Kyoshiro, one of the former action holders, greeted him when they met at the bar. Sure enough, the acknowledgement was what Seto had hoped for, but it was decidedly cold and inhospitable. The meeting wasn't desired, and the older Kaiba felt a little annoyed by the man's attitude.

"Oota-san." He bowed his head in response "It is a pleasure to meet you again."

"The pleasure is all mine." Kyoshiro nodded, albeit the fact that his facial expression didn't match his words. To his credit, however, he didn't beat a hasty retreat immediately. "I did not expect to see you here. I trust that student life is not too exhausting for you?"

"Not more than ever. I decided that this was a good opportunity for a good deed." He smiled, as he caught a glimpse of a blue dress with the corner of his eye

"But you are a young man. You should not waste your life with such…petty gatherings." Oota said, waving his hand to the crowd around them to illustrate his point. However, Seto didn't retort because a second later Sharona appeared by his side, taking a glass of champagne from him and mumbling 'I apologize to keep you waiting.' The stock holder's eyes immediately lit up as she angled her body so that she was facing him and placed her hand on Kaiba's shoulder delicately.

"Thank you." The CEO said with a slight smile "However, I believe I can handle it wonderfully."

"I see…." Oota nodded knowingly "And who, pray, is this lovely young lady?"

"This is Miss. Neidelmayer." Seto presented her, and she bowed, then offered him his hand. Kyoshiro took it and placed a gallant kiss on it. "She is a good friend of mine who kindly agreed to join me tonight."

"Really? And how do you like this party, Miss?"

"Very much, sir. Although I must say that orchids are not the best choice for this sort of party." She answered, while looking one of the said flowers

"And why is that?"

"Because if you are trying to raise money for charity, showing off with expensive flower choices is controversies with the purpose. I have always considered irises to be a lovely decoration, especially when placed in a nagaire style."

That woman is inhuman, Seto thought as the two launched in a detailed conversation about the different styles in ikebana with thinly veiled amusement. She hadn't just dolled up to act as an accessory for him-she had researched the guests, looked into their professional background and their interests. With all the attention the media gave to the lifestyles of the rich and famous, that wasn't hard, but people generally never looked into that info to prepare for a business date. She, however, had done it, and was practically on fire.

"You shouldn't have let him get away so quickly." He said when they admired a painting a few minutes later "You really had him hooked."

"Patience, my dear." Sharona drawled as she played with her (still untouched) glass. "I'm glad that people here aren't too marriage-obsessed. It would've been bothersome if you had to introduce me as your fiancée."

"At this point, introducing you as my friend is more acceptable, yes. And with the way you look it would cause a stir if it turned out that we were in a relationship."

"How so?" she asked, craning her head to look at the door. There was some commotion and a lot of people was gathering.

"You look a lot more mature than you appear to be." Kaiba pointed out, but she was already turning to look at what was going on. "What is it?"

"Additions to the party, I believe." Sharona drawled, her eyes zeroing on the young man who was shaking hands with nearly everyone in the room "You said Mark Sullivan was too good to be true?"

"Damn it!" her companion hissed as he recognized the people as well "Isn't there a place in this world where I could hide from these things?"

"Chill, Yugi isn't with him. Unless he is 170 cm tall and spontaneously curved into the wrong places, that is."

"No, that's Maria Pierce, his girlfriend." He said, gesturing towards the tall brunette that was nearly suspended on Mark's arm "Cheerleader and Honor student, they've been together since High School."

"How romantic…" she said sarcastically "AH, now I get it, Kaiba-kun. You wish that I was perhaps a little more like her? Attractive? Young? Pretty?"

"You haven't even met her yet." Seto actually sounded amused as he watched her fume slightly

"She seems to have caught the geezers' eyes more quickly." Sharona pointed out, her eyes going around the crowd, not really settling on the Golden Couple, but actually searching for someone.

* * *

On the other side of the room, the party was at full force. The hostess, an older, tall and beautiful woman, smiled and greeted the newcomers, and scolded them for not warning her beforehand so that she could put on her younger face. The guests laughed at the joke, and she turned her eyes towards the rest of the room. The people had spread all over the hall, gathered in small groups discussing company politics or the works of art put on display, or swung back and fro in the rhythm of the music the jazz musicians were playing. The night was proving to be perfect, she thought, and laced her hand around her husband's.

Then, for some reason or another, she looked up again, this time at the bar. Her eyes moved between the faces of the people waiting for their drinks, but the suddenly stopped on one.

Suddenly, she felt faint. Her grip on her wine glass slipped and it crashed on the floor, providing a good distraction for a couple of minutes. A waiter hurried towards them with a cloth to clean the floor up and she busied herself apologizing and sharing jokes with the guests. Her husband cheerfully scolded her for her clumsiness and suggested to go get her another drink. She shook her head and said that she would do it herself, keeping her smile clear and professional.

However, it withered as she walked across the marble floor and directed her gaze at the same person. Surely, this was some mistake. She had had too much to drink, and it was too stuffy in the room anyway. The music was too loud. It was raining outside. The air pressure was low. She hadn't eaten since lunch. Her mind fought for more excuses for this strange episode, and she desperately tried to keep her cool as she approached the corner of the bar (a strategic location from where she could see everyone and benefit from the protection of a large vase), and focused on the face.

It proved a stupid thing to do, for as soon as she saw the features, the faintness came back and she had to grip at the panel to keep from falling.

The proximity hadn't helped disciple the horrible suspicion. In fact, it had only enhanced it.

She was looking at a ghost!

* * *

A/N-To my few readers-THANKS FOR READING YOU GUYS! I know it can be annoying having to read this all the time, but there is still a small part of me that hopes you are enjoying this.


	8. Chapter 8

**Fear**

People think that death and failure are the things everyone should fear, and that others are just silly ideas. They were wrong. Death was the natural course of life-you couldn't fear it unless you feared your own existence as well, and the things that came from it. Failure is just a part of the equation when you do anything-you take a risk and you might fail.

None of this was worth fearing. However, what came from them was another thing.

Imagine that you aren't as well behaved as you are. Imagine that you've gone through so much mishap that you are willing to do anything, anything in the world. So you do that and get a life, a life you decide to devote to being the best person you can be. And then something comes up…something that can undo it. Not simply ruin it-it would expose you for the one you really are and turn you into a pile of ash.

Meredith Andante-Roberts was a woman of the world. To say that she and Anthony Roberts were stuck together like Siamese twins was an understatement-she had created his world, and involuntarily, he had created hers. For nearly ten years he was everything to her and she had entirely forgotten her previous life.

Until now.

"I am imagining things." She thought, taking a calming sip from her gin and tonic "Surely, even if this was her, she couldn't have a reason to be here. Especially with this young boy."

However, as Meredith drank the woman's features greedily, with every passing second she became more and more convinced it was her. That tall and slender frame, that angular profile, those thin lips and cold, calculating eyes. Her skin was soft and white, there wasn't even a trace of wrinkles on her arms and face, and her body looked like the one of a fashion model-she looked like she lived out of the boundaries of time, to the great envy of everyone who knew her true age. Meredith including. But then again, Georgiana had always been able to look like some sort of unearthly creature, despite the life she led. Even with the Media Storm that followed her death, no paper could make her look like she deserved it.

Even though she had already broken off her connections with her old friends, Meredith couldn't help getting involved the uproar Georgiana's murder caused. The bloody shooting, the children scarred for life, and the beautiful woman lying in that fountain like an Ophelia drowned into roses…nobody could put any blame on her. The psycho was caught and convicted, and his reasons were made wide-known…but Georgiana Weiss was treated like a modern day Mary Magdalene.

Come to think about it, her daughter was supposed to be in her twenties now. However…as much as Meredith stared at the Georgiana-twin, she couldn't see any traces of youth or innocence, or madness. She remembered the little girl had been taken to a hospital after the shooting, but…The person in front of her looked so mature, so…perfectly composed. Surely, any daughter of Georgiana would've been sick to the core at such a party.

Shaking her head, the hostess straightened up and prepared to go back to her group of friends. Just to make sure and as a test of courage, she decided to walk right past them.

However, as she did so, she made the unfortunate mistake of looking at the woman in the eye. And then…she smiled. A simple turning of the corners of her mouth, but still a smile. And it was enough to send every last droplet of reason left in Meredith to the gutter.

* * *

There is nothing as singular in a person as their smile, somebody had told her. Sharona didn't remember their name, but if she remembered it must've been someone important. Interesting, if she'd inherited Georgiana's smile? By the look on Meredith's face, it seemed that way, although she was still convinced that all the body fluids in her mother's body had been replaced by silicon even before those operations were legally done. However, seeing their old acquaintance so mortified helped her understand two things. One, she knew. Two, if she didn't do anything, she was going to get deep in the shit.

On her side, Seto had become suspiciously quiet. She turned her eyes to him and frowned slightly-he was staring at his glass with a strange look on his face. She wasn't the one to talk, but with her girls, she could recognize a brooding face anywhere.

"Who's that?" she asked off-handedly, even though she knew the answer perfectly anyway

"Who?"

"The tall guy that's walking towards us. He has a very classy lady next to him." She gestured towards Meredith and her husband who were slowly walking towards them. She was whispering furiously in his ear. This isn't good….

"Ah, Seto-san!" the host bowed deeply and smiled "I'm so pleased to see you here!"

"The pleasure is all mine, Anthony. Madam!" he quickly slipped back into business mode and Sharona sighed inwardly-mission accomplished

"I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to greet you immediately, but there is such a crush of people today!" He laughed "My wife, thankfully, saw you and insisted on my amending my silly mistake immediately."

"I'm so glad to see that you've finally brought a girl, Kaiba-kun." Meredith smiled widely at Sharona "I've been telling him for ages that he should lay off the work and find himself somebody."

"Indeed?" the blond smiled wryly

"Won't you introduce us, Seto-san?" Anthony Roberts grinned, as he took Sharona's offered hand and kissed it

"Of course. This is Miss. Neidelmeyer." Seto said, frowning just slightly when Anthony didn't let go of Sharona's. "And no, Meredith, we are not dating. She's a friend of mine who was good enough to come with me tonight. Although, now that I think about it, it's good that she's here-she can discuss the flower arrangements with you."

"Do you know botanic?" the lady turned her eyes towards Sharona, mildly surprised.

"I'm afraid that Seto is gravely exaggerating my skills." She laughed airily, while freeing her hand and placing it on his shoulder "Alas, I am but an amateur."

"Oota-san was left with a different impression." Anthony cut in "He was telling me about the lovely young lady you brought, Seto-san, who was so very accomplished in ikebana."

"You are too good." She said and bowed her head bashfully. Sharona. Modest? Somehow, those didn't fit right.

"Certainly, you mustn't be so harsh upon yourself." Meredith laughed "Can I persuade you to come with me and take a look at this arrangement?"

"Of course, although I don't think I will be of any use."

"I will be the judge of that." The hostess said, her voice betraying her, but the men didn't notice it. Sharona obediently followed her a few paces away to a large vase, leaving Seto and Anthony to their business. The CEO of Kaiba Corp. didn't miss the cue and immediately turned the conversation to the economic state of the country and National Debt.

* * *

They weren't ten feet away from them, but due to the proximity to the stage, the soft jazz beat hid their voices perfectly. No sooner than they turned their backs to them (and any reporters who might see their faces and suspect something), Meredith dropped the act.

"This is a lovely dress." She said, her eyes and voice contradicting every syllable she spoke. The disapproval was obvious, but Sharona didn't let her face slip.

"Excuse me, Ms. Roberts, I thought we were going to discuss the flowers." She said, looking at the said plants with a detached, calculating interest "Perhaps you should've picked lilies for this arrangement. The roses and orchids clash very cruelly with the vase."

"Please don't mock me. You know why I called you out here."

"I know. But do you?"

Meredith was slightly taken aback, and looked at her companion again. Surely, this was not what she had expected to hear. A threat? Definitely. A demand for money? Possibly. A rhetorical question? Never. Could this woman, this young an intelligent woman, actually be Georgiana Weiss? Or worse-her daughter?

"You know who I am."

"Indeed I do, Mariah." The now Mrs. Roberts cringed at the use of her old name. Goodness Gracious, she was doomed. "However, you also know who I am. That puts us both in a very uncomfortable position."

"Uncomfortable position, you say? I do not know what you expect to attain from this,_ Miss. Neidlemeyer_, but I will tell you now, I will not be blackmailed!"

"I apologize." Sharona shot her a cold look "You seem to have misunderstood my words."

"Have I now?"

"Allow me to elaborate on this. My presence at this party is directly linked to a business engagement of mine. It's purpose is to attain a certain someone's good graces, not to put you in a compromising position."

"But you knew I would host it."

"Yes, I did. And I am glad we are able to talk before either of us makes a scene. Let me make this clear-it's not beneficial to you, or to me, that our identities are revealed. I assure you that whatever reasons you have for keeping yours, I have for keeping mine."

"Really?" Meredith looked back at Seto Kaiba, who was engrossed in a conversation with her husband "If you are planning to become the future Mrs. Kaiba, my dear, I would advise you to be extremely careful. You might be biting off more than you can chew."

"That is very likely." She agreed, a slight smirk on her face "However, my orders right now are strictly against any carnal or romantic involvement."

"Orders?"

"You should try and make enquiries that are not so…direct, Mrs. Roberts. It is very suspicious." She said evenly "I cannot give you any specific details, other than the fact that the person who employs me has a great deal of interest in business relations with Seto Kaiba and that I am the only way he can be approached about it. Of course, my reasons for keeping my identity are not as deep as yours are, but you should know that whatever job I may have, it is all that I'm entitled to. I would appreciate your….discreetness on this subject."

"And if I choose not to be discreet?" Meredith said, regaining some of her composure back. However, the look on Sharona's face made her wish almost immediately she hadn't gotten over her head so quickly. Those eyes weren't human-deep lakes of ice and winter. They cut into the soul and destroyed whatever warmth there was in it.

"Please be careful. I said it is not beneficial to me that my identity is revealed, not that I must keep it a secret at all cost. The situation with you, however, is not the same." Was the court reply, but by the time they came back to the men, Sharona already had Meredith crushed into the palm of her hand.

"When you're free, we should all go to the club together." Anthony was saying when the ladies joined them again "You know, have a game of tennis, dip in the pool, take drinks in the lounge…it's been a while since you joined us, Seto-san."

"I will definitely do that." The CEO replied, offering Sharona his hand again. While Meredith and her husband smiled and chatted, he didn't do anything to acknowledge his companion's presence but a court nod. His blue eyes, she noted, weren't on the man he'd just conversed with. No, they were on the steadily widening circle around Mark Stevens and his girlfriend. There was something in them that made her stand up on guard.

"So, Miss. Neidelmeyer, my wife tells me you are indeed very modest. Perhaps next time we make a party, we should invite you to do the decors." Anthony said, grinning widely. Sharona's eyes snapped up to meet his, and she felt a chill run down her spine. She knew that look!

"It would be a great shame if you did." She replied, keeping her voice in check and her expression slightly bored "Your florist would be very sorry to lose his job, I am sure."

"If one cannot do their job adequately they should not do it at all." A perfect smile, but the eyes were cold and inspecting. That was the face of a frekin' seducer. Suddenly, it didn't seem strange that Meredith had managed to completely blindside him and become his wife-men like this rarely thought with their head. She probably offered him enough passion to keep him satisfied, and then afterwards-an image that could serve as a screen for both of them. A perfect couple that only kept up a public appearance.

Thankfully, she didn't have to suffer from the couple's attentions for much longer. Mark 'Perfect' Stevens was making his way to the bar, and the hosts decided that it was high time they paid the bright star more attention. After exchanging the needed pleasantries, they left, leaving Sharona thank every known entity for helping her though this.

Suddenly, she became aware of Seto's muscles tightening rhythmically as he fisted his hand in his pocket. Why was he angry? She snuck a peek at his face-he kept in check, but for how long?

"I thought that everything went well." She mumbled

He sighed loudly, and, as if a spell had been undone, he looked down at her. His eyes followed their intertwined hands and then went to her face. Suddenly, he moved briskly around her, laced his fingers with hers and moved out of the room. Nobody noticed their hasty leave. If anybody did, they did not show it.

* * *

"I should've known." Seto repeated over and over in the taxi, as it drove through the emptied by the rain streets. "I should've known nothing good would come out of this."

For the most part of the ride, Sharona was silent, but as they reached her neighborhood, she suddenly felt a little sick. Was this really the Seto Kaiba she heard so much about? Looking beaten up like a dog over a stupid party! So far, she had done everything she was supposed to do-from getting his attention to securing his friendship. They were not exactly in each-other's confidence, but he was letting her see more than his usual indifferent side, which was an accomplishment indeed. But what if it wasn't enough? What if he was still not ready to trust her? Damn it, it was such a pain!

"Stop here." She told the driver, pushed a few bills into his hands and leaped out of the car, dragging a very disgruntled Kaiba with her.

"What are you doing?" he barked, finally snapping out of his foul mood. They were running down a wet, deserted street, with warehouses and office buildings on either side. The cold night air whipped in their faces as the two of them maneuvered between puddles and streetlights, and Seto found himself following her, if not out of curiosity, then because he would need help finding his way back again.

That was, of course, before he realized that she was dragging him by the arm. Well, if one was true, than the opposite was also possible. He dug his feet in the ground and pulled her into a halt. "Where do you think you're taking me?"

"To the market and then home." She replied in a very blasé manner "You see, we didn't get a chance to stay for those tiny things on a stick they usually serve and I don't have anything to offer you at my place." She started walking again, in a 'move it or lose it' way that had him following suit without even knowing.

Whether he was too annoyed or upset to think about it, he followed her into the 24/7 supermarket without complaint. It wasn't until she asked him what did he want for dinner that he realized that she'd practically dragged him through an unknown neighborhood (in his tux, no less), and in plain sight too! No…He'd let her drag him around.

How humiliating, he thought as he watched her pick things out and put them in the grocery basket. It wouldn't be long before he stated carrying her bag for her like some slave boy.

Despite the latter thought, he found himself doing it anyways. What, the basket was getting heavy and he _was_ supposed to eat some of that! Strangely, he didn't seem bothered at all by the suggestion that they would be going to her 'place' to 'eat dinner'. Of course, there wasn't anything wrong in the idea itself. Many young people visited each other in their homes and had a friendly, fun meal. Given, most young people didn't go to their homes at 11 in the evening to just eat dinner and just enjoy each-other's company. Especially if those two young people were of the opposite genders, and one of them happened to be very, very beautiful. Even if nothing happened, the implications that would arise if it ever reached the press would be catastrophic.

Now that he thought about it, maybe it was because of the constant attention the media paid him that Kaiba didn't find himself a girlfriend, or friends at all. The pressure would've been too much. Right now, however, he wasn't interested in that-after seeing that he couldn't provide them with any dirt, the paparazzi had given up on him as 'boring' and moved onto much juicier bait. Like Stevens, maybe.

His grip on the basked tightened and the pain reminded him where he was. Sharona kept moving between the stacks, mumbling something to herself as she passed stand after stand. She was so calm, as if doing something so spontaneous was a part of her routine. He looked down at the contents of the basket and found that she had picked only small quantities of food, all ready for consummation…as if she only shopped for one meal at a time. Interesting. She obviously counted on her mood to decide for her, but that wasn't a very trustworthy advisor. Nevertheless, he still found himself following her impulsive bee flight through the store, and didn't even arch an eyebrow with surprise when she asked him what kind of alcohol he liked best.

"Trying to get me drunk?" he said, for once giving up the 'stick-up-the-ass' attitude and smirking slightly to her.

Sharona replied with an innocent bat of her eyelashes "I like something to go with my dinner, but if you want to replace the wine, I wouldn't mind."

He actually laughed and leaned over her to pick up a small bottle of ouzo. "We're eating Greek-let's not ruin the pattern."

She just grinned in response and hopped towards the cashier, leaving Kaiba a few steps behind to contemplate her with a slight bemusement. Gone was the cool, calculated social butterfly. She was as hyperactive as a child on a sugar diet.

Despite his insistences, she paid for everything herself and moved out of the store before he could do anything about it. Then, they were back to him following her as they made their way through the neighborhood. It was dark, but she seemed to know exactly where she was, because she soon moved into a dark passage and then-through a door, into a relatively new block of flats. Seto didn't have time to look around for signs or indications where they were, but by the looks of things, the place had been built last year.

As expected from Pegasus-he wouldn't have let his subordinate dwell into some Catholic School dormitory. He wasn't sure how serious she had been when she told him that her assignment didn't involve any sex or romantic involvement, but her boss probably considered it a possibility. Why else would she live so conveniently alone?

"Are there any people that might see us?" he asked her during the elevator ride.

"My closest neighbor is seventy-years old. I think that by now she'll be sleeping sweetly."

"Nevertheless, let's be careful. People don't usually bring 'friends' over at this time of night."

"Cute, Kaiba, very cute." She giggled, but to their credit, they were as quiet as cats between the elevator and her apartment threshold.

* * *

She helped him to a soft seat, before fluttering away to get dishes and glasses, talking all the time. "Most of my neighbors are elderly, you see. Their kids were too stingy to send them to a sanatorium, but didn't want to leave them in some secluded place away from doctors and hospitals and stuff, so they settled them in the newer buildings. So my neighbors can't stand loud noise and parties, and they talked to the owner of the building to cut off the power after 11 every night-they think that this way, they will stop the little young people around here from having parties. Well…" she lit a few candles "…No TV and music are possible, but one knows other ways to amuse oneself."

"I hope that's not what we'll be doing right now. I'm beat." He said, before reaching out to take his plate from her. Sharona plopped unceremoniously on the floor in front of the low table and he followed her lead, forgoing the couch and settling next to her. While the flames burned and flickered, throwing interesting shadows around them, they took bites from their food, drank glass after glass, and talked. Naturally, she held the bigger end of the conversation, but he didn't stay behind either.

Naturally, with them talking all the time, it wasn't long before they exhausted most of their favorite subjects and just sat in a compassionate, (and slightly drunk) silence.

"So why the big rush tonight?" she finally asked, swinging her glass in front of her and contemplating the liquid inside "You've never been in a hurry to get out of a posh party before."

"Don't tell me you liked it." he laughed darkly "I hate people."

"What a charmingly brilliant deduction! From your behavior one would never guess your attitude." When he didn't reply, she stretched her legs under the table slowly and rubbed her toes against his heels. Kaiba shot her a cold look, but eased himself back and gave her better access. Sharona shot him an encouraging grin and said: "So why do you hate them so much? I suppose that it's not always their sparkling personality, since you're letting me this close?"

"You think this is close?" He sighed "But you're just fooling yourself. I'm just not snapping at you, that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm letting you in. When you cease to be interesting company, I will leave you. That's the only way I'm having things."

"I'm fine with this arrangement." She replied calmly, leaning over the table to pop her head into her hands "I've never been the type to get all mushy about assignments."

"Oh, really?" he shot her a daring look

"You're a smart boy, Kaiba. Do you know why they give test animals numbers instead of names?" she leaned in even closer, whispering slyly "Because it's harder to put down something to which you've gotten attached to. The mechanics in this case are basically the same."

"But only basically. Humans are much more complex than chimps."

"Mice are more complex than chimps. Humans are somewhere in the middle." Sharona finally leaned back, letting him retrieve his sense of personal space. "And you don't hate humans. But when they betray you…when they hurt you…and force you into a trap…the feeling of helplessness that you get it absolutely sickening. I'm not surprised that you dislike it. I know I do."

"I never ended up in a trap, Sharona." He slammed his fist into the table, making the glasses clatter ominously

"You already have. I just hit a tender string into your heart, and you reacted accordingly." She replied, her face absolutely straight and composed "You may think that being twenty takes you out of the 'kid genius' category, but you know you're lucky because you're no longer restricted by society's opinion. I bet that before the old Kaiba adopted you, you felt so helpless that it made you want to pluck eyes out."

The only answer she was entitled to was a low growl, and then he finished his glass in one big gulp. Then he promptly refilled it. He didn't say anything in a three-shot worth of time. In the end, he asked her if she was always this cruel with the men she dated.

"I don't date you." Sharona retorted "And as far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't sleep with you if life depended on it, let alone date you."

His face dropped and he shot down another shot of ouzo. For a while, his hands played with the empty glass before letting it roll down the table and on the plush carpet. How strange, the thought. Everything in her apartment seemed to hush up. The sounds, the sensations…even his voice of reason. If he lived in a bubble of silence, Sharona seemed to reside in a loop where time slowed down. Strangely, when you didn't live at full speed…you felt less restricted. At such times you let things slip you…things you usually don't even consider yourself.

"You know, I had hopes when I first came here. That I would start anew. Find people whose intellect would match mine…I always thought I was just prematurely developed. And yet here I am with the same blockheads I dealt with every day in Japan. I guess I'm cursed to be an outcast until the end of time. Even you, who are not uneasy around me, won't come closer." His voice dropped to a throaty whisper

"You wouldn't let me, remember?" she mumbled back

"Am I thins revolting?" Seto looked up at her and for a split second, she was taken aback by the sheer emotion into his eyes. Suddenly, all the ice in them had melted and they threatened to overflow. Gently, she pushed herself from the ground and leaned over the table. Her fingers brushed his cheek, before flickering his bangs back. Her face was so close that he could almost feel their breath mingling. Whether it was the rich light or the make up, her own eyes seemed to turn from steel gray to a light violet. They were so close they could kiss and blame it on the drinks.

But they didn't. Instead, she breathed: "When you cut someone, they bleed, Seto. Just because they don't show it doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt them. It's natural, just like the desire to cut back. Right now, I'm punishing you for acting so haughty around me by violating your personal space." Her fingers mover to the back of his scalp, massaging between the soft brown locks "But you are not revolting."

With that she pulled away in one delicate, fluid motion and returned to her place. "Having sex with you is not why I'm here. However, why I won't do it is a question of professional and personal ethics, not your attractiveness."

"Are you trying to comfort me?" he asked picking up his fallen glass and making a move to refill it. Sharona, however, was faster and snatched the bottle away from his grasp.

"There are jackasses everywhere. They're not worth changing over, but you can't cure them by drinking. Alcohol won't make you more acceptable to them." She replied, before giving him a devilish wink "I have a better proposition."

"What?" Seto asked, while measuring the room between himself and the bottle. If he pounced he might be able to get it without tumbling over gracelessly…or breaking it.

"Well…" Sharona replied "How about first telling me something you always wanted to do…"

* * *

A/N-This chapter is dedicated to my beta, TheArchon. ЧРД.


	9. Chapter 9

**Rock stars**

Kaiba woke up with an acute throbbing in his temples and a sour taste in his mouth. Which…wasn't too horrible, if he had really drunk as much as he thought he did last night. He cracked one eye open, studied his surroundings, then opened the other, and when he made sure that it was all safe and fine, he slowly sat up.

It definitely could've been worse. He could've woken up on the floor of some nasty bar, with no wallet and bigger bumps on his head than on his biceps, or lain in the gutter on the street in the pouring rain. Or not woken at all. Instead, he found himself stretched across a comfortable couch with a couple of fluffy pillows supporting his head and a warm blanket draped over his body. Seto said a silent thanks to every known entity for the latter-while his suit was very fashionable and elegant, it didn't provide much comfort in the gloomy, cold October mornings.

And apparently Sharona liked the air fresh and crisp, because the living room windows were wide open, letting in the sick light and the freezing breath of autumn.

Seto winced and attempted to cover himself better with the blanket, but no sooner than he moved, he heard a soft padding on the floor and a large cup of coffee was placed on the little table next to him. His gaze moved from the delicately manicured hand to the slim shoulder and neck and finally settled on Sharona's face. And, Gods, didn't she look smug!

"Wakey, wakey, sleepy-head." She cooed like a god-damn nanny and crouched on the floor to look at him in the eye, then placed her hand on his forehead in a mock imitation of a concerned mother. "My goodness, you are so pale. Be a good boy and drink your coffee, sweetie, and I might not call the doctor to check you."

"Enough already!" he groaned, grabbed the cup and drowned it in one gulp. Which, later, proved to be a bad idea-the liquid wasn't so hot as it was dense and disgusting. For a few seconds he fought the urge to throw it up, but managed to hold it up until he was sure it was ok. "GOOD GOD, WOMAN, ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!"

"What? I made sure it was cool enough for you to drink it." she scolded, before standing up "Don't be such a grouch, Kaiba, it only does you good."

"This is your hangover remedy? Suicide is better than drinking this!"

"Oh, please stop making such an unsightly face." Sharona waved her hand, while heading for the kitchen "Go take a shower and change and you'll see how much better you are."

"Shower? Here? And, pray, what should I change in? I'm in your house, no?" he grunted angrily, although his entire being screamed for hot water and a breath mint.

"Oh, I called your assistant and asked him to bring over a set of clothes and you emergency kit from the office." Her voice rang from somewhere in the kitchen "Sam's a gem, isn't he?"

"Sam? What time is it?" he looked around desperately for a clock "For Sam to be up, it must be…"

"Ten thirty AM. Relax, he didn't mind the early call when I told him that you were living a life." Sharona appeared in the room, her hands full of towels and a small bag which Kaiba recognized as the kit he kept in the office for the not-so-rare occasions when he stayed the night "I'll hang your clothes next to the bathroom so that they don't get wet, ok?"

"Yes…" he mumbled "Alright."

* * *

What was this woman? She was already reading him so well, as if she had been by his side for years! Oh, well…at least his decision to drawn his sorrow in front of her wasn't so bad, considering…what he could've done. Somehow, when she was around him, no matter how much alcohol he consumed, he maintained a little of his dignity and didn't make a scene.

The kit held everything-from shampoo and an extra raiser, to toothpaste and breath mints. Thank God for that! It was bad enough that he made a fool out of himself last night, but looking so unsightly was absolutely unacceptable. Kaiba knew well enough that soon, everyone would know that he didn't spend the night in the dorms and if Mark had spotted him last night, rumors about him and a beautiful older woman would spread like cockroaches. Not that he had anything to be ashamed of, but seriously, he needed a break. Just one break!

And he also needed to control himself more. Mark Stevens might be a local star, but he was nothing to him. A rich daddy's boy who never worked for anything in his life. All he had to account for his awesomeness was the girl he dated since High School and a toothpaste-commercial smile that could make Yugi think he's a great guy. Humph! He'd never won a tournament. He probably didn't even play chess. Maybe all the running and bashing on the football field reduced his brain to the size of a pea. Considering how girlishly he had acted the other day in the mess hall, Kaiba had all the reasons to believe that this so called Perfect Guy was nothing in comparison to him. His achievements were far greater and therefore he was a better man.

Good lord, it sounded as if he was defending something! He thought as she stepped into the shower and let the hot water hit him in the face.

But honestly, why did men have this urge to compete and be the best? He wasn't willing to take this back to the stone age, because they obviously didn't just hit a woman they liked and dragged her to the cave (bedroom). Mankind, he liked to think, evolved. So why the competition?

The answer? Women! That was the big answer. The Golden Apple of the 21st century. The big problem ever since the beginning of the world! Women, who always got the difficult things in life. Those masses of contradictions on two legs that brought complications to the men's simple worlds. Women, who, since they got the right to vote, were finally cut loose from their last restraint and now slowly pushed the world to an end. Women, who, after 14,000 years, men still worked so hard to impress.

Though Mark hadn't shown any interest to anyone he was involved with. And that wasn't hard to deduce, since the women of his life were very little….ok…maybe one…that still had to pass the "friend-as-long-as-it-suits-me" phase…But right now, Seto was willing to be Sharona's slave for the end of eternity just because she had a shower with running water.

But if he DID show an interest in her, why should Kaiba care? Really, she was free to do whatever she wanted. And she had said that she couldn't shag him, which meant that she would need to find someone to relieve her extra sexual tension….Hmm…so why did this arrangement seem so wrong to him.

_Here's the problem_, he decided as he dried off an peeked through the door just enough to retrieve his clothes from the chair on which they were stacked upon, _she's smart. Smart enough to make me find her a pleasant company, and classy enough to pass a whole night on a snob party, not only leaving gossipers low on dirt to throw back at her, but also blowing them way of water with her classiness and manners. Surely, a woman who was obviously well-bred and an erudite would have higher standards than…well…Mark Stevens. _

Of course, one would ask themselves how such a well-bred girl ended up working for Maximilian Pegasus, but that was irrelevant.

And now that he got on the subject of his…lady-friend's honor, he remembered that he had one more thing to warn her about.

* * *

Like most new buildings, this one still had the squeaky-clean scent of recently build. The apartment had white walls, parquet floors and large windows, and that was as far as decoration went, because other than the furniture in each room, there wasn't much to testify that someone resided here. Perhaps the biggest sign that it was Sharona's place was the electric keyboard carefully placed in one corner of the living room, with a flute case popped on the side of it and a stack of sheet music threatening to spill out all over the floor. No textbooks. No notebooks. And he had evidence to point out that she visited at least three different schools. What was this woman?!

A loud string of profanities brought his attention to the said girl, who was in the kitchen, in a heated struggle with the stove and a frying pan. After watching her efforts for a while (a truly interesting scene because she obviously thought that the eggs would cook faster if she screamed at them), he finally decided to make a move when she tried to dump her cooking experiment in the trash bin, by promptly taking the frying pan from her hands and put it back on the fire.

"Spoon!" he ordered like a surgeon and for the next five minutes they slipped into their operation-room parts as she ran around to retrieve the necessary things and he worked his magic. When he was finally done and the food was distributed in fair quantities, he turned around and…for a split second, his eyes shut off. Damn it!

Unlike the rest of the apartment, her kitchen was a mess of colors-both literally and not. There were cupboards, of course, and the usual things you see in a kitchen, but every horizontal surface was covered with files, folders and books. The half-open doors of the cupboards revealed even more books and notebooks, and he could swear that the case on top of the dishwasher contained a laptop. As for the vertical surfaces, they were covered with photos, sticky notes and pictures, and from what he could see from underneath, they were painted in every shade of red and pink known to men.

Good thing she had cleared out the table and served the food herself, otherwise, he would've dropped them.

"What the hell…"

"Is this?" she grinned "I knew you'd like it!"

"Like is hardly the word I'm looking for." Seto said, blinking repeatedly the get rid of the spots dancing in front of his eyes "What have you done here?"

"I work here. It's convenient." She replied, as if that explained everything. Seeing his disbelieving expression, she elaborated "Homework, as long as it's not for the musical school, is pretty common, but it requires a certain environment. When I feel pressed, I work better. Besides, Boss keeps in touch with me daily and I have to answer him."

"He keeps in touch? To know the…details of your mission."

"Hmm…you CAN say that. Just like you can say that we have a very passionate affair over the Internet. But I would advise you to remain wisely silent and don't make presumptions."

"So you decided to make the kitchen more...homely?" he asked, swiftly reverting back to his initial subject

"No. I just haven't cleaned it up. Between school and you I hardly have time for it." she said, pulling out her fork "Dig in!"

_Is this girl really the same one who accompanied me last night?_ He thought in disbelief. _She looks so…different._

The dress from last night was changed with a sweater in a lively green color that was so huge it fell off one shoulder and reached her knees, easily making it the only piece of clothing she probably wore. Her hair was still in a twist, albeit a lot messier than before. And speaking about messes…

"I wanted to tell you something, about last night…"

"If it's about the Jimmy Hendrix improvisation you did, don't worry." She grinned "I personally found it refreshing."

"What?" ok, maybe he had gone overboard

"After you spilled out about your problems I asked you what you always wanted to do. You said that you wanted to be a rock star, and for a while we spent our time impersonating nearly every Dinosaur we could think of. We even did the Christina Millan/Aerosmith "Cryin'" duet from that movie with John Travolta…"Be cool"."

Holy SHIT! Bad….very, very bad.

"That was until you fainted from exhaustion and I let you sleep." Sharona continued "I didn't have the heart to wake you up."

Damnitdamnitdamnit!

"Well…" Seto forced his voice to stay calm "That was a…relief. However, I was talking about the party. I wanted you to know, about Anthony Roberts…"

"The host?"

"The very same" here comes the hard part, he thought…brace youself "As you've probably noticed he's…he's not…he's a…well, after the impression we gave him and his wife last night, I think it's safe to say that we'll hear from him very soon."

"Meaning that he'll pursue a business with Kaiba Corp.?"

"That too…but I have the bad feeling that he'll seek more contact with me in order to get to you. Anthony Roberts is…infamous with his philandering ways and I would hate to have him around you at this point."

"How sweet…" She said sarcastically "So you're warning me so that I don't get my lil' heart broken?"

"If you're dumb enough to enter a relationship with him, then yes." Kaiba leered over the table at her "But I think I can trust you."

"Because if I were the type to shag old geezers like him, I wouldn't be here, right?"

"Exactly. Well…rather…ugh…"

"You're not convinced?" Sharona's eyebrows winged up in a parody of disbelief, then she shook her head slowly from side to side "Tsk, tsk, Kaiba, and I thought you knew me!"

"How can anyone?" he sighed, and louder, he added "I didn't think you would shag some geezer anyways. I just wanted to point out that you are a level-headed, reasonable girl who wouldn't fall for the old trap."

"I'm glad you think so…"

"…Because you see, if you were, you wouldn't be here running errands for Pegasus."

Deadly silence. Kaiba's speech halted immediately and he gazed at the girl before him, his entire being crushed by the animalistic fear. Sharona hadn't changed, and the sweet smile was still on her face, but the vicious look in her eyes had Seto praying to every known entity that she wouldn't lash out and kill him.

"So you think I would've been shagging him instead of seeing you?"

"That's not what…you're not that kind of girl, ok?! It's…."

"It's?"

"Umm…" please don't screw up, please don't screw up "Because you said it last night. You wouldn't sleep with me. And…I'm obviously better than some old guy that's on V pills 24/7."

They studied each other for a full minute before she cracked a grin and nodded. "Correct." _I'll be burning incense to my Superman action figures_, he thought, _but it's so worth it!_

With the mood lightening up, he decided that it was high time they resumed their usual tone of conversation by asking:

"That aside, haven't you ever been tempted?"

"By what? The idea of shagging some guy that is thrice my age? Get chained to him for the rest of his natural life as a nurse/mistress, or until he gets tired of me? Handing him V pills before bed and crawling in after him?"

"Yeah, that's a disadvantage…" he laughed "But you get an easy life. Lots of money. All the shoes you can ask for."

"I'll ignore this superficial and offensive image you just painted." She said, waving her fork in the air "I'm not simply a person who sells themselves for shoes, Kaiba. I have very high standards. You were right about the part that if I wouldn't sleep with you I wouldn't do it with some other guy, but there is a little more to it. In your case, I won't sleep with you, but that doesn't mean I don't want to."

"Huh?"

"Oh, come on! Don't you own a mirror? You have to be gay or dead not to get hit by your, albeit cold, charms! Naturally, there would be benefits from a relationship with you, but currently I'm settled with what I have, so if I rolled in the hey with you, I would mostly do it because I want it. Because I think I would enjoy it. Because having sex with you would please me, and I suspect that you would be pleased to, which means I'll be even more pleased. Anyways…I want to have sex with you, but I won't. Did I tell you why last night?"

"Personal and professional ethics, I believe." He answered

"Exactly! I am bid by my professional ethics to not have sex with you. So you see Kaiba, it's a lot more about me wanting that actually being able to do something."

"I thought it was the opposite."

"Please! If I wanted to shag you so badly, I could've just broken with my contract and done it. But as you can see, I have a lot more than self-control. I can choose my priorities."

There was silence. "And…" he finally began "What are those priorities?"

"Those…" she grinned "Will be explained some other time. At present, I crave for a hot shower and more coffee. I trust you'll find you way-just walk out the building and hail a cab."

"What the…you're not walking me out?!" He shouted when she got on her feet and headed for the door

"You're a big boy, Kaiba. I'm sure you can deal with this lesson in life. The door locks itself automatically, no need to take a key." Sharona's voice resonated from within the apartment "See you in Monday!"

Seto gawked behind her, then looked at the pile of dishes in the sink. Really, that woman…

He put the dirty cutlery and crockery into the washing machine, cleaned up the frying pan and hung it on the wall. Then he picked his things from the living room, fully intending to go away…but then he paused. It was really nice of her to act so…blasé about everything, but he really felt like she deserved a thanks for her support. If it hadn't been for her, he would've done a lot of bullshit the other night, and…well…

Before he knew it, he was walking into her bedroom, willing to suffer all the punishment for doing something as stupid. But nothing happened. For better or worse, nothing happened.

Despite her assurances that she wanted a shower, Sharona had forgone the idea and instead lay curled on the bed. Her breathing was even and she looked sound asleep. Suddenly, he wondered if her hairdo had remained so perfect because she hadn't slept at all last night. Judging by the steadily darkening circles under her eyes that had probably been the case. Seto shook his head, failing to comprehend why this woman had been so obstinate, and bent down to collect the blanket that had been tossed on the ground.

His knee made a dip in the mattress as he made a move to cover her up, just like he'd often done with Mokuba when his brother decided to stay up until the wee hours of the day, eating nothing but chips and bonbons. However, as if she instinctively felt the intrusion, her body automatically curled even more tightly, her arms going up to cross in front of her face.

He stood there for a moment, absolutely dumbfounded, before gently easing the fabric over her body and rubbing her back through it soothingly. Slowly, she eased up and soon her sleep was once again peaceful. Seto shook his head and made to push a stray bangs from her eyes. But…as soon as his hand made contact with her skin, something akin to electricity sizzled between them and somehow he found it hard to breathe. Her body had become calm again, as if it had gotten used to the feeling of his presence (why she found it so soothing, he couldn't tell), and her sleeping face so serene it was the finishing touch to her romantic beauty. Gently, Seto left a golden strand to fall between his fingers, before brushing them over her side, jaw and neck. So soft…it almost made him want to bent down and taste it.

He stopped there, naturally. Almost immediately. As soon as he heard her whimper.

Seto pulled his hand away quickly, afraid of hurting her, and noticed how her sweater had fallen off her shoulder. After staring at the bandage for a few seconds, he got up and left.

And since she'd been so kind to suggest it, he took her spare key. He never stopped wondering what possessed him to do so ever since.

* * *

A/N-REVIEW! PLEASE! OR I WILL SET MY WEASELS OF DOOM ON YOU!(and I'm not sure I even have those)


	10. Chapter 10

**Teenage girls are the worst…or are they?**

Whomever thought up extracurricular activities must've been evil, Kaiba thought. It was bad enough that he had to put up with them for most of his life, but now they followed him to campus? Weren't the hours served as captain of the soccer team more than enough to pay up for a lifetime of after-hour 'playtime'? It hadn't been two weeks after he'd set foot in the university that he got sought out by the local captain, and he'd been rather sorry for that guy, but luckily, his reputation had caught up with him and they hadn't persisted.

One would think that a guy like him, who wanted to turn a new leaf and make a new life for himself in a new place with new people wouldn't be so quick to reject such a gift from Fate. After all, athletes went to the best parties, got the hottest chicks, traveled a lot and were generally liked by everyone. Kaiba would have his work cut out for him, and his good looks and sporting achievements would be enough to make up for his saucy temper.

However, he didn't want his work cut out for him, and he most definitely didn't want to be put into some stereotype for the rest of his life. He didn't care for parties, they were too loud and chaotic for his refine taste, he didn't want to travel and he definitely didn't need one of those Trophy Girlfriends with whom he couldn't have an intelligent conversation. And quite frankly, he was sick of games messing up his working schedule.

Besides, Mark Stevens, star of the Football team versus Seto Kaiba, star of the soccer team? How cliché can you get?!

All those reasons, though, couldn't save him from the inevitable choice-what to do for the next few years. You had to have at least two extracurricular activities in the University, otherwise your diploma got deduced. Seto was already planning on graduating early, but before that, he would have to choose.

So he did what he hadn't done in a long time-he acted as he wished. He eliminated every team-related activity, every overly-geeky activity, and everything his former classmates would have had interest in. In the end, he got out with swimming (you worked alone and you generally couldn't hear anything underwater) and signed up for a drawing class downtown (since his dancing skills were atrocious and as Sharona had testified, he couldn't even sing in key).

He found himself on the second in the morning of the day after the infamous party, wondering for the umpteenth time why had he taken Sharona's keys with him, while everyone set up their canvases and took out pencils and rubber.

At first, Seto had been surprised that the art courses were joined with at least four other academies in town, but he found out that they were so unpopular they had to mix students so that they wouldn't go altogether. Pretty soon, it became apparent why-the teacher either came drunk or half-asleep, he didn't explain anything, and even though the course was centered around history of art and human figure, all they had done for the past two months and something had been nature mort. Something about impossibility to find a model.

If Kaiba wasn't going on the course solely to get the administration off his hair, he would've probably been indignant because of this injustice. His colleagues from there were all girls, all un-discovered geniuses, and all-out feminist activists. They nagged him weekly about his lack of interest in the important matters. He always replied that if man was not meant to eat animals, he wouldn't be on top of the food chain. Today, however, the lack of hen-house babble that usually greeted him upon coming had him on his guard faster than you could say 'chicken'. Quiet feminists were never a good sign.

"Did you hear?" His neighbor, whom he'd conveniently nicknamed Blood after her favorite lipstick, asked him "We're getting somewhere."

Like always, he didn't grace her with a response. She went on.

"Well, since you asked so nicely…They finally found a model!"

"That is probably because we suggested they offer payment." He huffed, pinning the paper to the canvas. "Nobody would willingly pose in a silly costume for a bunch of unrealized painters unless there's money involved."

"**I** would do it anytime!" Blood screeched self-importantly

"Then slip on the maid suit and stand out up there." He snapped "We're already off schedule."

Why did he take the keys? Had she even suggested he do it? If he analyzed their conversation slowly, phrase by complicated phrase, he would've perhaps decided that there was indeed, a hidden, slim, tentative hint that he did. That she had carefully and subconsciously manipulated him into this seemingly simple, but titanic in relationship terms act. People didn't exchange their apartment keys for nothing. You gave a pair to your parents, in case they needed to save you from cutting your own wrists, at most, and to you boyfriend/girlfriend.

Sharona, of course, knew well enough that this was going on. None of the things that left her mouth were meaningless. Everything was calculated and serving a purpose, whether to irritate, arouse or confuse him. She had him in the palm of her hand and it drove him nuts.

But he also had had her in the palm of his hand. He'd been so close to her, close enough to kiss her or do a lot more, if he wished, and she would've done nothing to stop him. He had access to her apartment, that guaranteed that he could come back and do what he'd wanted to do. Not that he would, mind, this was not his style, but the implications were terrifying. Was this a part of her spell? Did Pegasus sent her because people inevitably broke around her?

Seto blinked once. Twice. Thrice. Nope, everyone was quiet, absorbed into their sketches. He'd been so consumed by his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the teacher walk in, hadn't heard his explanations, hadn't looked at the model carefully. His body had gone on autopilot and he found with surprise how his hands were already tracing outlines of arms, hands, a female body, dressed in a long, flowing dress and an unbuttoned trench coat. For a second, he froze and took a deep breath, his eyes zapping between the canvas and the model. Had he finally gone crazy? Or asleep? Was he hallucinating?

Nope. He even discreetly pinched himself to make sure. Apparently, he'd zoned out so easily simply because the object of his thoughts was…in front of him.

The teacher told everyone to take a minute to consider their pictures, while Sharona stretched and pinned her hair casually back into place, before resting her hands on her knees again and turning her head on the side slightly into the original position. She didn't greet him in any way, but the little twinkle when her eyes met his was enough to tell him that no, he hadn't been dreaming, and yes, this was very, VERY real.

Instead of succumbing to irritation or blind rage for being caught like that, Kaiba refused to acknowledge her as well and started drawing her face. Somewhere halfway, he zoned out again, and by the time he was back with the living, the class was over, she had gone to change herself and they were handing the teacher their drawings. Curiously looking at his, Kaiba realized that instead the Mona Lisa smile from the post-war pictures Blood had been expressing next to him, the woman in his picture had a gentle, serene, sleeping eyes and a quirk to her lips that even he couldn't explain.

* * *

It was incredible what an amount of info you could get into the dressing room, Sharona thought as she slipped out her leotard after her weekly ballet class.

The arts academy that had offered Tea a scholarship was situated in the centre of town, not too far from Seto's university, but far enough for its occupants to miss the rich verdure and cool shades of the park…that was, of course, when the season allowed it. However, the situation provided a near constant source of light for the practice rooms, which was something to be glad for, especially when the music and arts students wore their eyes off nearly all the time.

As a part of her job, Sharona had researched most of Seto's classmates to look for pointers on how to earn his attention and trust. Naturally, that meant that she'd done a throughout study on Yugi's group, and since she was in the same school as Tea, that helped her to learn the little details Seto had spared her on his excruciating life in school.

To be frank, she was really looking forward to what the Scooby gang had heard about the party. She wasn't sure if Golden Boy had noticed her or Kaiba, or if he had something to say, but she always found it fun to listen to what people had to say for her…ahem…performance. Unfortunately, Mark and Seto hadn't had any contact that night, and without contact there wouldn't be a situation for Tea to exaggerate in front of her new friends. However, when she walked into the dressing room, the little commotion around Gardener's locker told her immediately that she was about to hear a piece of gossip that would be a whole lot juicier than a review of the lady in blue.

Luckily, her locker was facing Tea's, so she had no problem eavesdropping as she arranged her hair and untied her toe shoes. That girl was a natural whiny, and at this academy, she had found the perfect food-obsessed, boyfriend-obsessed and feminist-obsessed audience that could help her develop fully to her potential. Sarcasm aside, that girl nearly whined about everything. Her friends were from that lot that never made it into the really famous academies, but still had enough talent to be called good. And they were frighteningly alike-skinny, eyes huge with hunger, one half bulimic, one half nymphos. Tea had still not decided on a cast, but with these choices in the dancer classes, it was a lose-lose situation. Neither was very healthy and both offered a fairly slow, agonizing end.

All she could do was hope that Tea would decide to remain the whiner. Today's topic: Men.

"I just don't know what to do anymore!" the chestnut-haired girl sighed "It's been three months, THREE MONTHS since we last went on a date. Ever since summer, he's always with his friends, and when I meet him, I meet the guys…well, not like I mind it, but…sometimes, I WHISH we could be left alone. Talk. Go on a dinner, a movie, have some quality time together."

"You're so right!" everyone answered in union, like a Greek chorus. And Tea went on like the tragic Elektra.

"I know that maybe we shouldn't have pushed things so far last summer, but…come on! We've been friends forever! And with out track record, it was the most natural step."

"What caused all this?" Sharona asked her locker neighbor, one of the few dancers that wasn't overbearing or/and boring. The fact that she was one of the syphilis candidates was made up for by her total disinterest in what Tea was saying.

"Well, apparently, she and her boyfriend…" she spat the word in the way university students do it to show their disgust with people who still hung out with their high school sweethearts "Went all the way once this summer and it was so bad that neither wanted to try again."

"I was referring as to what made her spill out on such an old event, but thanks anyway."

"Oh, that…" the woman grinned broadly "One of the teachers approached her today and told her she was qualified for extra classes. The Italian."

"Ahh…I see." Sharona mirrored her grin as she listened to Tea's ramblings

"Am I this ugly? Am I this unworthy? Obviously, not! I'm an accomplished dancer, and I've gone a great way to be here! I've worked, I've studied, I've practiced until my toes bled…I know that we needn't hurry…and that we have all the time in the world…but once, just once I wish that he would hurry up and make a move! If he doesn't, I'll be snatched away!" I so feel for you, Sharona thought sadly. After she'd woken up and found the note that Kaiba had left for her, informing her that he'd taken the spare key in case she attempted suicide, she'd thought that he was finally, finally making progress. But she hadn't heard from him all weekend and now, as Monday was slowly lapsing into Tuesday, she couldn't help feeling a little weird.

Ok…so maybe the arts course thing might have been taking it over the top a little, but seriously, they always sat side by side on a bar! How was he supposed to notice her good looks if all he got was her profile.

Her friends continued nodding, but since it was already late, they couldn't stay forever, and left her alone to prepare for her special class with Maurizio Mutti, one of the top choreographers of the academy, better known as the Italian or Casanova, the notorious womanizer. Whatever possessed Tea to accept was beyond her comprehension, and she had to admit that the girl was better off if she was left to burn herself, Sharona thought, but something made her lag behind and remain alone in the dressing room with her.

"One question." She asked as she dried her hair from the quick shower she'd taken. "Did you wear these undies when you and your boy decided to take it to the next level?"

"Huh?" Tea looked up "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, I get it. You did it in the dark, between the sheets. Not a bad idea, but it makes things unnecessarily difficult."

"I beg your pardon! What my boyfriend and I are doing is none of your business!"

"Actually, it is, since you're talking about it in front of everyone."

"Those are my friends."

"Your lungs should choose the volume on which they speak then. Whatever, your bedroom activities are not that interesting, since you've done none."

"If you're here to insult me…"

"I never insult anyone. However, if you're dumb enough to bite at someone who's trying to give you some advice, you rightly deserve to be insulted." Sharona sneered. "Anyways, I've seen what you wear. Your choice of clothes is limited to comfortable, but it's no good for getting a guy into the mood."

"I suppose that mini skirts and thongs are your idea of attractive! Well, at least I have some sense of decency."

"Hmm…I suppose I have misjudged you-you really are as stupid as you look." Sharona huffed "If you wanna survive here, tuts, I suggest you learn how to listen. The woes of your current love life may be fascinating but they won't get you anywhere. Don't bite when somebody tries to give you advice many other girls would have killed for."

"And what could you possibly tell me?"

"Don't go the lesson. Run out as fast as your legs can carry you. Get away from that tutor. Avoid him as if he's Satan himself. Because I have to tell you, if you're planning on using him to get your boyfriend to open his eyes or prove to yourself how worth it you are, your plan is going to majorly backfire on you. Do you think you're the only one? That it's just because he's through a rough period and he's realized how much he's missing out he approached you? Or perhaps you ballet skills are as good? Please!"

"And what do you know? Have YOU slept with him?"

Goodness gracious, that girl was practically begging to be left alone! And whilst Sharona believed that solitude is the best consultant, you couldn't combine it with bitterness and expect something good to come out of it. She was certain Tea knew about Mutti's reputation and that she was well aware of what was coming for her….however, she was falling into the trap nearly every woman fell for: Namely, that strange, inexplicable desire that a man changes because of her.

That's what everyone fell for. Not flowers, not jewelry, not fluffy toys. No amount of chocolates or heart-shaped Valentine's day cards could compare to that all-time winner-Change. The biggest flattery for a woman was that a man changed because of her, and it was a weapon the sleaziest of womanizers wielded with skill. Smart girls learned to brace themselves against those who claimed to have changed, but not everyone was smart. Especially Tea. She wanted to have sex with Mutti because she hoped that either he, or Yugi would change.

But Mutti didn't love her. He didn't even admire her. Hell, sex wasn't even the issue. It was a question of ego boost, his drink to get him by the day. Guys like that got off at the very idea that they were able to have some naïve girl in bed with them just with a snap of their fingers

"Well?" she asked again, this time in a more dangerous voice

This is none of my business, Sharona thought, but still…

"Do you know that heroin got his name because they gave it to the most powerful warriors? Heroes got the prize." She said slowly.

"So?"

"So to him you are what heroin is to a drug addict." Tea wriggled in her seat with discomfort, as comprehension slowly dawned on her "If I know about his reputation, as I suspect you do as well, you can't expect me to not notice it. Everyone knows it, and everyone's pushing you into this trap. For once, listen to someone who doesn't lie to you because they're your friends. Run!"

When she didn't move. Sharona sighed wearily and left. There was no saving some people.

* * *


	11. Chapter 11

**Should I?**

Sharona tapped her fingers on the flute case, her equivalent of a nervous tic. Objective for the day? Kill Grades. Yes…first stab and poison him, and then throw him into an icy river. Preferably after she'd strangled him. Or before. Or during. Gah, whatever! The dumb bastard had to die! Of course, she had to wait until everyone had left so that they wouldn't hear his screams for help.

But couldn't that bastard just give up on this grudge he has against her? She did suggest to the conductor that a violin concerto would sell, it wasn't her fault that he thought her face on the posters would just be better. After all, she wasn't the one making the final decisions. And Grades did get a lot of praise from Seto's old teacher when he mentioned his old pupil's name.

Apparently, that wasn't enough. The dumb bastard still used every chance he got to exercise his authority as a senior and concertmaster, continuously set the other players against each other and tried to catch the spotlight by going ahead of the others. Honestly, talk about playing like you're jacking off.

And today he'd decided to hand out concert tickets for the finer seats to everyone, and had taken special care to dump at least a ton in her hands to give to her family and friends. "And remember…" he'd said with an overly sweet smile "Those seats are VERY good. It would be a shame if the soloist doesn't have people in them."

Just the thought of that self-important smirk he'd given her sent her on a mental rampage. The jerk just knew somehow that she had no family and very little friends, and was just dying to humiliate her in front of everyone. She could send the tickets to her girls, but they could hardly make it on time. Just the travel arrangements would be hell. Pegasus couldn't come without raising suspicion-as much as her boss liked her, his presence would bring journalists around, and for those who were aware of his past and more importantly-his wife, could quickly add things up and come up with all sorts of disastrous rumors.

That only left Kaiba, the guy who hadn't called her in nearly five days. The fact wouldn't have been so worrying if it wasn't for her conviction that things between them were supposed to be just peachy…only they weren't.

What was it with that guy anyways? She couldn't see what could've gone wrong, but she couldn't just give up on the job. So she pulled out an envelope, stuck two tickets inside and wrote on a small piece of paper: "If you're up for it.", adding it to the rest and sealing it. If he wanted to come, he'd come. If he didn't…well, she'd think about it later.

Nodding to herself with satisfaction over her pep talk, she grabbed her flute case and exited the building. There was a post office nearby, and though she found it rather stupid to send a letter to someone in the same city, she purchased a stamp and wrote down his office address.

* * *

However, as she stood in front of the mailbox, traces of doubt started to cross her. She flipped the letter through her hands aimlessly, wondering if perhaps it wouldn't be better to confront him directly. Didn't Yugi and the others piss him off anymore? Perhaps he had indeed used her only because he needed the company. Which had…nothing to do with her, but it was a little insulting.

"You were right." A voice called from behind her, causing her to flinch slightly and turn to meet Tea's intense stare.

"Of course I was." She replied, no skipping a beat "But it's pretty strange that you'd come here to tell me that."

"I was looking for you." Tea said, her hands fiddling with the ends of her coat "Can we go for a walk?"

"Sure." Sharona nodded, sending everything to hell and pushing the letter into the mailbox. She'd deal with the consequences later.

The two didn't speak before they got to the street. "I followed your advice."

"Oh?" today was all for monosyllable answers, she thought, her mind dividing into the half that listened to Tea and the half that pondered on why Kaiba was messing her up so much. Really, the guy was very hot and all, but she wasn't in such a hurry to get to the emotional shit…yet. "And how do you feel about it?"

"Um…still sad because…but I'm relieved. Very relieved."

They entered an old-style playground and sat down on one of the creaky benches, making sure that it was nice and dry and wouldn't tear their coats off. Sharona settled down slowly, while Tea popped unceremoniously on the armrest, her hands coming up to play with her scarf. "Well…I…"

"Look…" Sharona sighed "I know you don't particularly like me. I'm obviously prettier and smarter than you are and that's understandably upsetting. Why don't you just spill everything out so that we can get this pulling of teeth over with?"

For once, Tea was in a hundred percent agreement with her. "Well, first of, I really don't like you, since you have no consideration of people's feelings and are always blunt, almost insulting, towards them when you speak. Which is rather sad because I know you meant well. And, in the end, you stopped me from doing a horrible mistake. I replayed your advice in my head so much that it practically staid drilled inside, and it pretty much made me take off before it was too late. Afterwards, I felt very humiliated because you not only saw what I should've seen myself, but because you were every bit right about…everything. My friends, me being stupid and deserving insult and…overall, I felt really bad, and I don't know why I'm even telling you this, but I guess that it'll do better than my hearted thanks, at least in your case."

Sharona blinked slowly. "Was that all?"

"I don't know." Tea let out a loud sighed and let go of her scarf "I mean…I think my confession does to you what a sincere gratitude does to other people, so I told you that."

"It settled your debt with me." The blond elaborated calmly, then made to get up "If you don't mind…"

"I do, actually. I still…I mean…" Tea sighed "I think I…want to ask you something…since you obviously gave me better advice than all my new friends here have lately…"

"Use your head. You're not a blonde, so that should be relatively easy."

"Please, teach me seduction!" Tea yelled, causing some people on the street to turn around and look at them curiously. Thank God there weren't any kids around, Sharona thought…after she laughed her head off.

"Well, I'm glad you find my dilemma so hilarious." Tea said sourly after Sharona calmed down a little "Seriously, I am at loss. Yugi won't do anything, he even doesn't speak about it. I can't confront him directly about it, and…"

"You're very wrong if you think that seduction is the cure to your problem. Getting him horny would just have the same effect as getting him jealous. He's not the one to change."

"And I am?"

"Maybe."

"Look, I really don't understand why. Everyone tells me I'm fine the way I am and that he would come around sooner or later. He even told me that we should wait until all the stress from moving to a new place settles down and…"

"Ok, ok….firstly, does everybody mean your old friends from High School?"

"Yeah. They're his best friends too."

"The same guys who have seen you with pre-puberescent flower dresses and every single red spot that could pass through your face? The guys who protect you all the time and treat you like a little sister?"

"Er…yeah…"

"Well, considering that you always dress like you've come out of a rave…" Sharona said, pointing to her mini shorts combined with black stockings and go-go boots "I guess it's safe to say that they still haven't caught up on the fact that you've grown up a little."

"Excuse me?!"

"Please, don't interrupt me. The reason everybody is so patronizing of you, and probably why your boyfriend won't touch you is that you've been friends for too long. And since you've done nothing to illustrate this new side of you because you think that your old after-school attires look good. Well, let me tell you honey, the overly aggressive approach would do nothing for the shy type."

"You're saying that I need to change my wardrobe?" she asked, puzzled

"At least…You need to keep the guy guessing, questioning, to make his thoughts head on a more intimate side. Next time you go shopping, think of your favorite ballet attire and look for something similar. Preferably something that would only hint about the curves of your legs, but not showing them off. And flats. You're tall as you are, you don't need the heels. And then…" she got up and walked a few steps in front of her to give her a considering look "You'd have to do something about your hair. It looks too dull. You have an expressive face, and nice features. You've chosen good foundation, but the eye shadow you're using is much too screaming for a daily routine. It's something you'd expect from a little girl that got her first make-up kit, but you shouldn't overdo it. And definitely pick a softer color for your lipstick-bright red makes your mouth look like an overly large piece of tuna."

"So…I look childish?"

"You look clueless. There is a difference. A little change of attitude and a day of pampering would do you good. And just to give you a head start, before I do anything, I'd stop by a decent lingerie shop and by myself a new pair of undies."

"What?!"

"Changes are made from the inside out. And if you're thinking that lingerie doesn't matter…"

"But I can't wear…"

"I'm not saying something out of a guy's magazine, Tea. Just something that makes you feel good. Sexy. If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you have more confidence. And trust me when I say this, confidence is what people notice at once."

"And…if I do that, Yugi will notice me?"

"He'll definitely realize you've grown up. What he decides to do is up to him. But, if I were you, I wouldn't keep on telling him that I'm fine with waiting. Before you know it, he'll go off with someone else, and won't feel the least bit remorseful, because you'd be ok with it. I'm not saying that he would cheat, but his priorities might shift in a different direction."

* * *

The next day, she was in the sushi restaurant, observing Tea's shopping spree from a safe distance. Luckily, the girl had decided to put the changes to work immediately, and was coming out of the different shops dressed in a new outfit and a step that was getting livelier by the minute. A trip to the hairdresser and she'll be ready to take on the world, Sharona thought proudly while eating a sashimi roll.

Suddenly, a familiar smell of aftershave filled her nostrils and two hands were placed on either side of hers on the table, while a husky, low voice whispered in her ear. "Since when have I struck you as a coward, Sharona?"

She let out a grin and turned around to look at him, eyebrow cocked provocatively "Who knows, people DO change."

"Humph." He didn't move, but there was a decided change in his attitude

"What are you doing?" she asked, becoming slightly aware of the heat that his body emitted

"Invading your personal space." Seto replied, before slowly pulling away "Punishing you for your impudence."

"Hmm." It was her turn to give him a disbelieving look as he slipped on the chair next to her.

Neither said much while they ate, but they had become strangely aware of each other the last few days. The absence of speech was suddenly compensated by a series of looks, gestures and monosyllable sighs that had acquired a whole new meaning since last Friday. Sharona didn't even have time to proceed the info, when it was time to go already. Slightly surprised, slightly annoyed, she walked with him till the end of the street, where he suddenly froze, all 1.80 m of him in the middle of the busy crowd, staring down at her with a mixture of curiosity and…something. Oh, gods, this assignment was doing her in! Slowly, one of his hands came up and tucked the loose end of her scarf over her shoulder, before he said:

"I'll be seeing you around."

"Fine…" She replied, as if in a daze, and watched him get lost in the crowd.

* * *

Friday came, and with it the prospect of control. Seto had texted her, telling her that if she didn't mind, they could have a nice dinner at her place (since his didn't' really offer much privacy), and talk over things. She didn't even think about how dumb practice was, as she ignored all of Grades' acrid remarks and didn't slack off in the practice room cleaning her flute for too long. She didn't have much time for shopping, and her apartment just cried for a cleanup, which meant that she would have to hurry through her chores.

Sharona launched herself into the nearest supermarket, brushed past the cosmetic stands and hurried to find tomato sauce, olive oil and basil. Ellie had sent her an Italian recipe for pasta that was so simply written that even she wouldn't mess it up. Or at least that's what her friend assured her. Oh, well, if she hurried, she'd have enough time for a test try that would leave her the option of calling for a delivery from the pizza parlor.

Her mind busy trying to remember what ingredients Ellie had suggested she take, she failed to keep track of her surroundings and became aware of them when she collided, whether by mistake or by design, in the tall man walking in the opposite direction. Actually, she slammed into him, thus throwing herself off balance and grabbed onto the nearest shelf to stop herself from tumbling over

"Oh, Hell…" she swore eloquently, then looked up "I'm terribly sorry, were you hurt?"

Oh, fucking, shitty, bloody Hell, she thought angrily when she realized who it was. Mark Stevens flashed a charming smile and took her by the elbow, straightening her up delicately. "That's alright. It's my fault, I guess."

"Ugh…no, actually, it WAS mine." She said "I didn't cause any dangerous spills out there, did I?"

"No, no!" he laughed, before taking a step towards her "Although I think some of the shop assistants there had a real feast for their eyes. Not every day you see such a beautiful and distracted woman."

"Um…yeah…" she swallowed, wondering why the hell did this guy suddenly seem to find her so funny. A strange feeling of nausea rose into her stomach, and at the same time an alarm rang off loudly at her head. Suddenly, she felt a familiar faintness come over her and cease her. "Well, if everything's fine, I think I'll get going."

"Uhm, you better." He whispered, now that they were so close their bodies almost touched "It's hard to be in the presence of someone so beautiful and not get dangerously mesmerized."

_Jesus O'Mighty, help! That guy's hitting on me! _

"Yes…" Play dumb, get out of here! "…that would be most unfortunate." Sharona mumbled, cracked a semblance of a smile and headed for the next aisle, desperately trying not to twist her face into some ugly grimace. However, no matter how fast she moved, she couldn't save herself from hearing him call after her:

"See you around, _ma belle enfant_!"

* * *

A/N-For poetry-My account on FictionPress can now be accessed through my webpage slot in my profile. Enjoy


	12. Chapter 12

**Life is life**

_Don't panic_, she ordered herself as she ran around her kitchen, reading and re-reading the recipe. _Gods, if it's not men, it's food. If it's not food, it's men. Why can't I worry about something normal for once!_

She really hated being a part of society sometimes. They always pressed her into being in some sort of relationship. As if, in case she wasn't, she would be somehow considered handicapped. Now, she didn't mind the sex, though she had had sufficient reasons to. No, a roll in the hey wasn't too bad, but she could live without it.

What she detested the most was the way people (read: men) approached her-as if she was giving out that "I'm desperate" aura, as if she was inviting them to flirt with her!

And she detested it when somebody as disgusting as Mark Stevens did it. Sharona wasn't dumb, she knew it when somebody was trying to get into her pants. But quite frankly, it had been such a shock that he of all people would come to her that for a moment, she couldn't do anything. Immediately after, a real fright swept over her. Call it a build-in radar, but she just knew it when somebody was up to no good.

Mark had hit the 10/10 on the scale! And while she was aware that somebody this good couldn't possibly be true, she was still shocked by the revolt that overcame her. As if it was instinct. _That guy must be really bad_, she thought, _to give me such a feeling. _

She sloshed the tomatoes into tiny bits and threw them into the pot, while stirring as if her life depended on it. The wooden spoon made a loud, rhythmic noise every time it hit the walls of the pot, causing her to relax into thinking. Why had he approached her? How did it happen that he didn't see her advance? Her mind raced over the events of the last week and the possible reasons why he should single her out.

Her best shot was the sushi restaurant. She and Kaiba frequented it and it was on a very busy street. He could've spotted them sitting by the window without her sensing him. Actually, now that she started thinking about it, he and his girlfriend hadn't been on the guest list she'd looked over for that party a week ago. Maybe he did have a bone to pick with Seto…but why? From the way Kaiba described him, Mark Stevens was the typical good guy. He was handsome, smart, and enjoyed everybody's affections. He was nothing if not popular, and with the love of his girlfriend and the generous allowance his father gave him, he was supposed to be content.

The more she thought about it, the more perplexed she became. What on Earth could make him pursue Seto everywhere he went and attract all the attention he was supposed to get? And, while she knew she was a looker, why would he single her out of nearly every other woman in town to play sparkle-eyes, if not for her connection with Seto? Actually, now that she thought about it, the way he had approached her the other day in the restaurant had seemed rather…intimate. No wonder Mark thought they were lovers…

And he decides to approach her because he though she was Seto's…gods, hadn't these men evolved at all? Wanting something because somebody else had it, as if they were on a freaking playground! If she didn't find it so amusing, she would've been mad. Or worse…paranoid.

If Mark knew how to approach her in a way that would look totally natural, he wouldn't be dumb enough to stalk her. _For now_, Sharona decided, _I don't need to worry about his next move until he does it. At least then I would know what he's up to. _

But if Mr. Perfect was actually willing to cheat on his longtime girlfriend because of a simple fit of jealousy, ultimately, he wasn't so perfect after all. _Wouldn't Seto love to hear this_, she thought sourly…Though so far, his little competition hadn't really done him harm. "It can do you some harm, however." A little voice called from the inside of her mind and a second later Enra materialized herself next to her shoulder.

"It's been a while." Sharona noted as she took the sauce off the fire and put up some water in its place.

"Don't run away from the subject!" the pixie yelled "I may not read minds like Kanae, or Ren, but I seriously didn't like that guy!"

"Neither do I. That's why I ran as soon as I could." The blond replied, watching the bubbles slowly form on the bottom of the pot "We both know men well enough, don't we, Enra?"

"We do." She nodded "So we'll be very careful, won't we?"

"You've no sense of self-preservation. By the way, don't you have to put wine in that sauce?"

"I do."

"And why aren't you…"

"I'm still trying to figure out what 'less than a glass' means." She answered bluntly. What did Ellie mean by a glass? Was it a wine glass, a normal glass, a tea cup? Or maybe one of those ceramic things Japanese drank tea in. Or those mugs she knew they used in the village. They were all different. And what about 'less'? More than the half, or more than a half. ¾? 2/3? What was she supposed to do about this?

* * *

That's how Seto found her, thirty minutes later, pondering over the contents of an average wine glass. Normally, she would've been surprised to find him in her apartment without having let him in first, but seeing that he had her spare key, it wasn't all that weird. Actually, if she was surprised by anything, it was probably the fact that she was completely at her ease with it.

He quickly solved the issue by chucking some wine straight from the bottle into the concoction and helping her finish the dish before anything disastrous happened. Then, as the two quickly moved around the kitchen, taking plates and cutlery out, he noted that he'd had an unpleasant encounter with Mark again today. For a second, she stiffened with fear that the testosterone-added ape had decided to show muscle and brag about hitting it off with his girlfriend, but it turned out to be nothing more than another chair in his way.

"I'd dearly love to know what that man's problem is." Seto said as he leaned over to help her with the pot "Once is ok, but a series of accidents is just plain childish."

"Maybe he's jealous of your hot date on the party last week." She joked, although she felt strangely cold on the inside

"Maybe if my date wore a shorter skirt, he would've been."

"I thought you wanted me to look sophisticated." Sharona pouted adorably

"Of course. I wouldn't have that guy go after you either." Kaiba wrinkled his nose with disgust "As if I don't have enough on my mind as it is. Sometimes, I have the feeling that the entire campus has formed an Anti-Kaiba force."

"Aw, don't worry. Work hard and after ten years they'll all work for you…oh, wait, you're already rich, you can buy off their parents now."

"As delicious as this idea is, I'm not feeling vengeful tonight." He said, plopping down on a chair and taking a glass of wine she offered him "You're not changing?"

"Pardon?"

"Your clothes." He gestured towards the baggy jeans and "Kiss the cook" apron she had donned when it became clear that there would be tomato sauce flying around "You usually pay more attention to what you wear."

"Oh, that!" she took it off and threw it over her chair, before straightening out the wrinkles in her shirt "Would I have to pay with my head if I allow myself to be a little more negligee today than usual?"

"Since you didn't blow anything up, I think you can be forgiven this time." He let out one of his mock-smiles as he gestured her to take a seat. "So, how did you, the girl who couldn't even fix breakfast, manage to whip up Italian pasta so well?"

"Maybe I gathered up some new talents over the past week." She winked, before meeting his scorning gaze "Ok, ok…" she laughed "A friend of mine sent me a recipe for idiots."

"Is that friend a chef from some famous restaurant?"

"Not famous, but…frequented." She said "I honestly don't understand her. I don't get how people can do it for a living."

"Do what?"

"Cook!" she gestured towards the sticky notes for emphasis, and when he took a closer look he realized they were step-by-step instructions on how to prepare frozen dishes "I mean, it's so exhausting! I could never do this every day, repeatedly, to make money out of it. I'd be dead in a week!"

Seto chuckled "I bet that if you ever marry, you'll need your husband be an experienced cook. Or, better yet, have somebody do the cooking for you."

"Yup." She answered with a court nod "I'll never bear it. I'll probably starve my family to death."

Kaiba let out another laugh, before taking another mouthful of spaghetti. For him, it wouldn't have been a surprise if she learned how to cook in one week, or the past week in particular-Sunday through Thursday had been damnably long for him. Not just because Yugi and his gang seemed more annoying than ever, but also because he couldn't call her without evoking some pretty disturbing images.

Of course, he'd been worried when he discovered the bandages underneath her shirt. Her shoulder was wrapped up pretty tightly and yet there was still a slight swallowing around them, suggesting that the wound was serious. Yet she'd been able to glide next to him the entire evening, and hold a pretty full grocery basket, without giving away any sign of pain or malady. Now that was admirable…and slightly disturbing, because he knew that he wouldn't be able to hold it out that long.

The big problem was that he had a pretty good idea how she got that injury…and, as much as his reason contradicted it, he felt guilty for it. But how could he ask her how she'd gotten it without having to admit entering, nay, violating, her personal space, not only in means of her room, but her bed as well? That he'd been so close to her that he could practically drown into her scent, or that if it wasn't for his incredible self-control, he would've done something terribly inappropriate to her? That he'd witnessed her vulnerable and innocent side and had felt like the biggest jerk in the world for doing it?

Then, if she hadn't left the room, he could tell her more, hmm? Like how he'd been the happiest man alive when he drew her despite the shock she'd given him, because it gave him time to contemplate her more? Or how, although the professional side of him rejoiced at the fact that she was not allowed to enter any intimate relations with him, the man in him wanted nothing more than to have her seduce him? She never claimed innocence, so whatever transpired between them would probably overshadow anything either of them had in their twenty-something years.

But he'd been bred as a gentleman, and even though very little women nowadays cared for that, he found it utterly degrading to act less than the man he was. Not to mention that it hurt his pride to be with a woman who would fall too easily for him.

That's where usually people stopped, but his fruitful mind had already been excited by the challenge and was making up various ways to go around the obstacles. She'd be worth having, yes, but he'd do it by the rules. Who knows, maybe they would get out of it alive.

"So why won't you fulfill your promise?" he asked, taking a sip of wine to wash the food down

"I beg your pardon?"

"You said you would tell me the reasons behind your…unwillingness to enter a romantic relationship with me."

Her face broke into a slow, steady grin and she leaned over the table with a calculating look in her eyes. "Is that an invitation, _Mr. Kaiba_?"

"Will you take it as such, _mademoiselle_?" he gave her the most innocent look her could muster "Let me put it this way-I'm handsome, rich and available. I would dearly love to know what makes me so repulsive in your eyes."

"Why repulsive?" she cocked her eyebrow "I believe I told you that the reasons were various."

"I'm listening."

Sharona dabbed the corners of her lips with a handkerchief and leaned back slowly. "Firstly, and I'm sure you've already guessed that one, it would be unprofessional. I'm involved in an assignment that is to ameliorate your relations with my Boss. Then, there is the fact that I find it beneath me to sleep with someone to get what I want-you're at disadvantage as it is."

"Really?" he smirked slightly "Any more reasons?"

"Sure." She grinned "I like you."

His fork clanked loudly into his plate and he stared at her, wide-eyed. "What?"

"I like you." Sharona repeated, this time with a dead serious face "You're smart, and handsome to boot. You treat me like an equal, and out fights are probably one of the best things in our relationship. For people as different as us to become such close friends is rare enough, I don't want to risk ruining it because of a booty call."

Seto rolled the fork between his fingers, his air pensive. "So, basically, other than pride and obligation, you don't want to be my girlfriend because…I'm too good a friend to lose?"

"If we cut to the essentials." She shrugged

"Fine."

Sharona blinked owlishly. "Excuse me?"

"I said 'Fine'. Must I elaborate on what this word means?"

"No. I just didn't expect such a…" blunt? Calm? Calculated? "…ready-made answer."

To her surprise, he burst out laughing "Does such an expression even exist?"

"I just made it up, didn't I?" she shrugged.

"Ok, so now that you cleared this out for me, I'm relieved. Thanks for the help."

"Why help?" she became suspicious as she watched him sit back comfortably on the not-so-comfortable chair. Something about his too leisure posture put her on red alert.

"Because now that I know, it'll be easier for me to act." Seto explained, toying with a bread stick he'd gotten from the pannier in front of them. "Look, I understand that I'm talking like a sphinx, so I'll make it clearer. Last week, I was avoiding you because I discovered that my interest in you may not be so entirely platonic…" he held up the bread stick to demand for silence when she opened her mouth "Before you decide to repeat to me what we just heard, let me tell you that there are no clauses in your working ethics that stop you from being courted, so that option drops off. As for your second objection, I've wanted you, more or less, ever since I saw you, and I'll rely on the fact that we're both adults to spare us the unnecessary embarrassment. Whatever happens, it will not alter what Pegasus did in the past, but I will not let it stop us from living…whatever this is."

He kept his eyes on hers as he leaned in, placing his hands palms down on the table, leaving his posture open and inviting "Finally, I'd like to tell you that above all, we are a man and a woman. Friendship has never stopped anyone from answering the natural urge to…ahem…reproduce, and now that people have moved into an ere where true love is rare to find, I don't see why we can't…err…hit it off. I understand that you may not want to ruin our…friendship of sorts, but so far I think we've made it clear that we are not like the 98 average percent of the population. Friends that become lovers usually can't separate the feelings of partiality from the lust, thus when their lust fades away, they think they cannot be friends anymore."

"So you're saying that friendship and lust don't have to be connected?"

"They are NOT connected. Friendship means respect, support and confidence. Lust means…synchrony in bed, I guess. They are wholly unconnected."

"Actually, you need to trust that person to get in synch with him…"

"Alright then, lust means…wanting one another in a purely carnal way. There is no respect into wanting to copulate with someone, only instinct. Therefore, when the desire is gone, we should not be stopped from picking up from where we left off by the fact that we've _done_ it. Nor should we be burdened somehow in the future by this fact-we are both grown-ups who realize exactly what it consists in and how much we should be encumbered by it."

"Perhaps this is the time for me to mention that friends with benefits don't last long either." She stated calmly "Usually because the benefits aren't so much worth it when you're all rational about it."

"Oh, come on!" he exclaimed, resting back on the chair again "Have you ever been disappointed? Have you had a bad time when you weren't in love."

"I'm not saying in love, but there has to be something! I mean without the slightest sentiment for that person the sex would be just re-arranging of body parts and mechanical movements. There's no art! No point! No satisfaction of bringing the other person pleasure!"

"I'm not suggesting that either. I'm just saying we're two people who like being together and who (at least on my side) happen to feel strong and distracting attraction towards the other. We can ignore it, or we can give into it until it fades away-we're both mature enough to remain friends even when that period of our lives if over."

He leaned in: "It seems to me that you're afraid of having your heart broken. Which is rather uncharacteristic because until a while ago, you claimed to be totally insensitive."

She stared, and then her face broke into a slow smirk. "Not at all." She replied "I'm just feeling a little offended that you would approach the subject with so little bluntness."

"I'm a man of little words, Sharona." Seto leaned in "But since you reproach me so for this, I'll let you tell me how to go about seducing you."

"How condescending of you." She laughed and put a finger on his lips to stop him as he leaned _too_ in. "Firstly, you'll help me wash these dishes and we'll watch that movie you wanted to watch. Then we'll continue the way we are, and when I pick a date that's good for both of us, you'll take me to some place by your choice, 'k?"

"Crystal clear." He whispered, before proceeding to do as she bid.

* * *

Later that evening, when they were sitting on her sofa, watching "The man from Earth", twisted into their favorite impossible, but comfortable positions, and carefully not touching, Sharona thought about how things had turned out. On one hand, she was a little disappointed that Seto would be so arrogant as to believe that if they had sex, it wouldn't help her mission; on the other, he'd really hit the nail on the head-if there was any emotional burden after this, it would be all for him, and not her. He was the one who voluntarily subjected himself to possible manipulation, and if she was to feel anything for this, it would probably be the disappointment that even though he was a genius, he remained, above all, a man.

Though now he gave her something to look forward to. She snuck a peek at him-his legs were outstretched on the table and he was slumping until he was almost lying. Quite an undignified position, but it was strangely pleasing to see him drop his guard around her and relax. She? Her legs were thrown over the side of the couch and her head was turned so that she could watch the movie. A few more inches and they could probably fit like a ying-yang symbol…or an old couple. Whatever it was, she thought as she looked at him again-he was too busy listening John talk about Christianity to notice, if auras were anything to go by, she was in for a real adventure.

_She sank in the plush chair, her eyes wide with surprise and enjoyment as they skimmed through the stylishly furnished dining room. For the few months of their acquaintance, Pegasus had never had her brought over to his estate, and she was pleased to find out that the house did not resemble the owner. Which was a pleasant surprise, because with somebody whose mood swings were as violent as Maximilian Pegasus', their house was expected to look like a horrible clash of art-deco and Victorianism. _

"_Pleased?" he asked from the other side of the table and she nodded, much like a giddy school girl. This month, Timo and Crocket had picked her up straight after class and she was still wearing her uniform, so the setting wasn't so badly done. However, this time her…benefactor, hadn't insisted on a duel but had her wheeled straight into the dining room. _

"_You have to eat." He stated, before taking a mouthful of soup "I bet they don't feed you well over there!"_

"_That's ok, really." She said, taking a sip from her glass. All was fine, if you didn't count the fact that they had to shout over the table to talk to each other. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have thought that such furniture existed. Not to mention that the entire length of it was covered with food. Talk about wastefulness-all this food could feed a family of five for a month. _

_That guy was acting so…fatherly. He'd stopped insisting on the duels almost immediately, but this was the first time he'd skipped them. He preferred listening to her talk, and insisted on feeding her, and wanted to learn everything that happened to her at school._

_Usually, she would've asked: What gives? That guy gave her money, educated her, didn't ask for sex…But she'd already seen the portraits and heard the stories. Maximilian Pegasus, who married so young to his childhood sweetheart, widowed soon after, mourned for her ever since. What was more, he'd told her about his trip to Egypt and had shown her the secret behind that curtain of hair…Being a shaman, Sharona hadn't been the least bit surprised or disbelieving, but now she was starting to get a little edgy. What if he was trying to please her so hard because he wanted her to replace Cecilia? _

_Maybe that was why she checked her hair every ten seconds. At school, she purposely braided it and pinned it back into old-fashioned buns to lessen the impact it had on people, and now she definitely wasn't going to try and look like his late wife. Not for anything in the world!  
_

"_You needn't worry." He called, and she jumped because he'd somehow gotten himself right next to her. Damn, it was hard keeping her thoughts to herself when he literally saw through her "Cecilia was one of a kind. Nobody can replace her, not even you, who look so much like her. If you don't like your hairdo, you're free to let it go, but I will not stop pampering you until I decide I don't wish to."_

"_It's a little difficult to believe, though." She said taking the pins out as he had his chair brought over to his side "You read all my thoughts, but I can't read yours."_

"_My dear, thoughts are not the only thing there is to a person. You can read my desires easily, but I can't read yours. Basically, you know what I want to do, but you can't understand why, and I know what you think about me, but don't understand what motivates you to stay."_

"_So…" she frowned "You'll tell me what's going on in your head if I tell you why I didn't run away when you first gave me money?"_

"_No, but it would be nice to hear it anyways." Pegasus grinned. Sharona laughed and took a mouthful of her food to delay the talking, and as she swallowed, the words formed into her head. _

"_Basically, because it suited my needs." She said calmly "Even if I did make a good investment, or a good bet, the money would eventually vanish, leaving me back to where I started off. On the other hand, I could take you up on your offer, get paid for talking, and get a proper education. However you look at it, it's a win-win situation."_

"_But…" he drawled "You'll be indebted to me for life. I believe you told me you would never stand the idea of being dependant on a man."_

_Sharona smirked: "Oh, yeah, I'd give up a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity for the sake of my childhood dream to become…a waitress. Oh, wait, I lived out that one. Several times!" she threw her hands in the air "I can't believe you could ask me something so stupid! As if it's not plainly obvious that…"_

"_You'd put up with a man as long as he keeps his hands to himself?"_

"_Precisely! I want more of life than serving coffee to drunkards and truck drivers, or strip for more drunkards and truck drivers. I want a freaking career, I want to pay for my own place, buy nice clothes, eat nice food that I don't need someone to pay for me! I want independence! I want to live my life how I want it and be the way I want it to be!"_

"_Great!" He exclaimed "Just like my plan!" _

She never really understood what that plan really was. He threw dirt in her eyes, saying that he couldn't miss such a promising employee run away, but now that her current assignment progressed, she was more and more getting the feeling that Maximilian Pegasus had somehow planned this out. Perhaps it was because he was older and more experienced, but he definitely saw that coming when he presented her with the file and the assignment.

Clever bastard, she thought as she stole another look at Seto. Telling her not to engage in a romantic relationship until she knew for sure that he was serious. That was reverse psychology in the making! But…

Her mood darkened, and she was uneasy until she saw Seto out and told him that she would keep in touch. This development was definitely something to be considered-on one side, they could get in trouble with Mark Stevens, the media and her boss. On the other was her (she daren't put Kaiba alongside with her), and her feelings. Could she really enjoy this relationship on the whole and be able to separate lust from partiality? When the assignment was over and Pegasus finally got what he wanted, would he turn her into his personal little partner-gatherer and terminate any…ahem…physical relations she had with him so that she could move on the next.

_This is ridiculous_, she thought. Even though he was quirky, Maximilian Pegasus treated her kindly and cared for her well-being. He knew he wouldn't turn her into a high-paid prostitute for the sake of his company. He knew that she was thankful, but she'd made it clear that where her self-respect was concerned, there were no compromises. If he forced her into doing something she didn't want, she'd leave and never look back. Now that she nearly had what she wanted, she could fight for her freedom, if that ever became necessary.

Sharona splashed some water into her face and looked at her expression in the mirror. Her eyes were half-lidded and icy, a habit she'd picked up when she didn't want anyone to bother her.

"ENOUGH!" she yelled at her reflection "I'm having enough of this as it is, I don't have to hide from myself too!"

And then it hit her. Getting defensive and worrying about the future for her meant only one thing. A thing so inconceivable she'd forgotten it even existed for her.

She felt her knees give out as the bathroom swirled around her. Grabbing onto the edge of the sink, she let her legs bend and she knelt on the floor, hyperventilating and going beet red. _Good God_, she thought as she leaned in on the cold porcelain, _I'm falling for that guy!_

* * *


	13. Chapter 13

**Dance to the beat**

"What is this?" Seto asked, glancing at the tickets a grinning Sharona presented him with.

"Don't act stupid, you can see for yourself." She sang, and her exuberance seemed to catch his attention a lot better than any of her words, because he glared at her wearily for a full minute before he finally condescended to looking at the pieces of paper she was thrusting on him.

"'Salsa de fuego'? You want to take me to the opening of a salsa club?" he looked at her, positive that she had busted her head somewhere. Or perhaps the injury in her shoulder was taking its tool out of her? He couldn't know, she never undressed for art class, although why she was there in the first place was another mystery to him.

"Well, not only salsa. They would also play tango, meringue and cha-cha and…oh, come on, it'll be fun!"

"I don't dance." He cut her off quickly, bracing himself for any flow of insults and challenges she could throw at him.

"Though as much." She yawned "You really have to get that stick out of your ass, Kaiba, or else you'll end up really sore when you get old."

"What is this about?" he asked, looking at her curiously "If I can't dance, there is no point in attending, right? Is this some way into frightening me out of taking you on a date?"

"Oh, no, the date stays." She replied, picking on her sashimi with her chopsticks "I know you're going to go about this the old fashion way and I won't have anything less than a nice restaurant on a lovely night, in spite of the fact that we know each other too well for any one of us to be impressed somehow by it. But the salsa club is different. You cannot possibly say you're a student and not go clubbing, and a dance club is probably the best place you could go to."

"Really?" Seto asked, sarcasm dripping from every word

"Sure. They serve nice drinks, the music is the one you dance to and you generally don't get high or drunk because you're too busy wearing your feet off on the dance floor. Even if you don't know the steps, after one night you'll be like a Fred Aster…that is, if he ever danced Latin."

"Do you know what I think?" he leaned over the table "I think that dance clubs are only providing people an excuse to make out in public and not have anyone say anything to them about it."

"Fine, fine." She huffed "If you MUST know, I only gave you a ticket because I didn't want you to feel out of place. I'm going there with a bunch of people and just for the record, I have something planned out that does not involve you but might please you."

"I appreciate that, but I don't think that I could really enjoy myself if I don't mingle with the crowd."

"Well that's probably the first uncharacteristic thing you've said since you were born." She yawned "Look, you can have fun just as easily if you sat down on a table and gushed down drinks and watched the show. There will be dance instructors and free booze, and I've made sure I delivered some tickets to a certain group that is bound to give you a good time."

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "You sent invitation to Yugi and his lot?"

"Yup!"

"I'm not going."

"Now you just listen here, Kaiba…" she said, leaping over his desk and flipping his chair over so that he would face her as she spoke "My plan doesn't necessarily involve you, but that doesn't mean that you won't enjoy the consequences of it."

"Exactly when in our brief relationship have I shared with you that I have any desire whatsoever to associate myself with those people?"

"And even Yugi wants you to do just that-stay away and maintain the antisocial, dangerous, villainous image you had from high school in order for THEM to remain partly in that world of High School."

"Excuse me?"

"Look, do you really think you're the only one who's having it rough?" she began, all seriousness "They're far away from home, they have to spare every penny, and they need to retain a sort of control over their world in order to survive. Thus, by re-creating the world of high school, or at least a part of it, they have some self-confidence to get them through."

"And?" he asked, eyebrow raised expectantly

"Well, it's not healthy to have illusions. The only other worse thing is taking pills." She grinned, ad proceeded to explain her plan to him, and letting him in on some details she had neglected to tell him on account of Yugi and Tea's relationship. By the time she was finished, he was staring at her, wide eyed with surprise.

The fact that he was in an all-male college meant nothing in terms of education, at least to him. He had already paved his way into life and didn't need a diploma written in Latin to prove his worth. Therefore any place could've done better, but he had retained some hopes that the remote place could help him start off small and build up his self-confidence enough to create a social status that could satisfy him. Yugi and the rest had made it quite impossible and he definitely didn't like the fact that he was reliving high school over again. So far, he was completely _d'accord _with Sharona.

However, he didn't know whether he should be more shocked because of the fact that even that clueless boy was getting some (for a brief period of time, but still), or because Sharona had come up with a plan so vile that it was bound to destroy all his boyish fantasies like an elephant in a glass store. Who would've thought that she was this sneaky?

"Although I risk to be blamed in hypocrisy, what would that accomplish?" he finally asked

"Would it be too cheesy if I said that it's for their own good?" she batter her eyelashes, while over-emphasizing the words "Look, they mull over their childhood and drag you along with them, the most natural thing is to counter-attack, get back at them and break free from their evil influence. Besides, the club would be so full they would never see you, and with what I have planned out for them, they're bound to get other things on their minds. I would do it without you, but I thought that with what they and Mark Stevens are putting you through, you deserve a little payback."

* * *

That's how, two days later, he found himself presenting the bouncer of the 'Salsa de fuego' club, ducked away from the dance floor and made his way straight to the table Sharona had ordered him to guard. Luckily, he'd been 'fashionably late', thus the club was half-full and whatever people she had invited wouldn't find him easily. Ordering gin and tonic, he looked around, a pleased smile emerging on his lips.

To his surprise, the place wasn't bad. Dim lights and people who were not dressed for the weather outside came with everything, but he was pleased to find that the music was tolerable, the alcohol was served in clean glasses and so far, nobody was making a fool out of themselves.

How had she gotten her hands on invitations for the opening night? And how many people had she invited? If he dug through his brain for memos from the times when he had visited her schools/college, he could recognize a bunch of people from the music department and several girls from the different places she frequented, but he didn't put much effort into it. In spite of her strange appearances, she made friends easily.

Another, less optimistic, man-loving reason existed, one that involved her actually working when she had a millionaire patron who was probably more than willing to fulfill her wishes. Though she refused to tell him why she bothered to pose for a class of silly girls and a boy, who took it for no or little relevant reasons, none of witch would lead to a memorable contribution to the world of art, he could guess the reason-Pegasus only paid for her tuition and apartment. In spite of all the things her boss did for her, she didn't want to fall more into debt to him than she already was, meaning she was an independent person who liked to have a hold over her own life. Such a person, he figured, would be able to get what they want without even breaking a sweat. She wielded manipulation with the same ease she wielded the flute.

And talking about manipulation, where the hell was she? He eyed carefully the bar and then the dance floor, looking for a familiar waterfall of corn silk hair, but there were too many tall blonds out there, and, he was displeased to note, most of them more like didn't wear much than wore anything at all. Of course, he expected her to arrive late, but….

Oh, lookie, he thought with a hint of distaste after noticing a familiar blond head, the fun's starting.

* * *

"This place is sweet!" Joey said, taking a swing from his beer "I should get May to come with me here sometime. Learn a few steps, you know."

"You wouldn't learn how to dance if you were stranded here with a tape recorder." Tristan teased and earned himself a kick under the table

"Don't listen to him, Tea." Joey laughed "Thanks for bringing us here."

"You're welcome." She grinned "So, Yugi, there are dance instructors out there, how about we go out there and take advantage of that?"

"No, thanks." He gave her a not-so-sunny smile, while waving away a puff of smoke that drifted from a nearby table "I really admire you, though."

"Really?" She beamed, basking in the hope that maybe, just maybe, her boyfriend wasn't such a lost cause and there was still hope in their relationship.

"Yeah! You dance 23 hours a day, seven days a week, and you still are enthusiastic about it! Most people would break down!" he went on cheerfully, completely unaware of her excruciated face. Honestly, how could he be so blunt! Tristan and Joey were both happy with Serenity and May, and he could easily see how to make a girl happy by looking at them, and yet he chose not to! Did he even consider her as his girlfriend? Or perhaps some chick he hooked up on regular basis. No, that couldn't be, the only time they'd hooked up had been a clumsy encounter under the sheets. Like Sharona might say: How vexing!

As if on cue, just as Joey and Tristan had gone to the bar to check out the chicks, and Yugi was blissfully unaware of all the signals she was sending him, Tea felt a delicate hand being placed on her shoulder. "Pardonnez-moi!" A sweet voice with an incredibly real accent said "May I 'ave the pleasure to steal vous for a dance?"

Wow, Tea thought as she looked up. Sharona, in spite of her annoying haughtiness, always seemed to know how to make an entry. She was lucky she let her choose the clothes for tonight, too. The simple, sleek red shirt she wore with her form-fitting black jeans just seemed to fit so well with the passion-red gown she was wearing!

Since Yugi was too busy to gawk at this strange display of forwardness, Tea gave and answering smile and got off her chair to follow her to the dance floor.

* * *

Well shoot me! Kaiba thought when he felt that the show was about to begin. Gardener had actually dressed herself! He suspected his friend had a hand in this, but given all that she'd shared with him, he wouldn't be surprised if she'd talked to the musicians too.

To prove that he was not wrong, the song ended and the DJ picked a piece with a slow, rhythmic beat. The two girls stood in the middle of the dance floor, Tea with her back to Sharona, and for a few bars of the song, didn't move. Tea's dress was knee-length and flowing, with a V neck and elbow-length sleeves, something that was both stylish and mystifying. Sharona, on the other hand, looked strangely masculine in her attire, with her hair pulled back in a merciless braid, but their expressions were mismatched in the making-Tea looked palpitated, expectant, excited, while the blonde's eyes were lazy, heavy, almost sensual. The beat sped up and their bodies began to move in accordance with it, but still didn't go far from their original position.

Then, Sharona's hand slid down Tea's side, caressed her hip before the blond bent slightly to grab at her partner's knee and move it so her leg would wrap around her waist. Her other hand gently tucked some of Tea's hair behind her ear and whispered something into it. The next second, the beat changed abruptly, Tea was spun into the dance floor, her skirt dancing around her thighs, just before she was brought flush back against the blonde and the two launched into a perfectly synchronized dance.

By the time their little intro was over, every eye in the room was on them, including the bar tender's and the DJ's. Tea moved a little stiffly, obviously because she was still unfamiliar with the dance, but Sharona guided her well, into such a way that nobody could presume that they had actually planned that. Their routine was simple, other than their intro, there hadn't been anything but basic in it, but the way that the two moved, chest-to-chest, hip to hip, eyes never leaving the others', hands wrapped intimately was simply breathtaking. One look at Yugi confirmed it-they had served their purpose.

The boy simply could not believe his eyes. Was this really Tea, his Tea, his childhood friend, the girl he'd saved from mugger, the girl who blushed at a mere handshake, who moved with such ease and such…passion, in the arms of another woman, no less?! His eyes were threatening to bug out of his head as he watched them, and the feeling of insecurity was quickly mixing with one of uneasiness and restlessness which he could not quite identify.

Seto, too, was having similar difficulties, only on his side it was much more intense, since he was aware of what it was, and much, much more frightening. For a split second, he was sweating feverishly, shaking from a strange cold. Everyone was staring at the two girls, evaluating, calculating, speculating, and he actually felt jealous of every single being in this room, including the women. Including Tea, who, at best, gave him the feeling of a wet puppy.

To their mercy, the dance ended, with Tea's head thrown back as her shoulders arched with it, her hands holding the back of Sharona's neck as the former's face rested on the crook of her neck. As the chatter resumed around them, and Yugi made his way through the room towards Tea, Sharona pulled back, whispered "_Merci, mon poule perdu_.", kissed her hand and slipped into the crowd.

Tea, luckily, had the nerve to look sheepish when Yugi arrived. Now if this didn't work, she'd really send him to Hell. Really.

"Tea, did you really just dance with that person?" he asked

"What?" she shrugged, and couldn't help but adding a little tartly "If my boyfriend didn't want me, why should I not go with somebody else?"

The two stared at each other. Blue versus purple. Tea, in all her new beauty and Yugi looking pretty much like his innocent self. Old and new.

So much had happened since they embarked on the adventures that Yami brought to them! So very much…she'd fallen in love with his alter ego and he'd tried to live with it, then, when he had left, she'd been devastated, but he'd been able to make her carry on. And then, when she tried to seal their relationship, to leave the past behind and live for the present, he'd decided to regress. For these last months, she'd asked herself if living in the past was all that bad, and she'd decided that it was worth it to fight for the present. Now the ball was in his court. Had she finally provoked him into catching up with her?

There was no escape. He was either listening her out, talking to her, or they would break up. For better or worse, they would do it.

…..

……..

………….

People bumped around them, music started to play…

………….

……….

…….

He opened his mouth, she took a deep breath, waiting for the moment of truth…

………….

……….

….

"Marry me!" he exclaimed, dropping on a knee, in the middle of the dance floor, in front of the stupefied girl of his dreams.

….

……….

…………..

Both Seto and Sharona choked on their drinks.

* * *

"In the end, this didn't turn out the way you wanted it to be." He said when, later that evening they were lodging on one of the tables, her feet free of her high heels and crossed around the legs of her chair. "Admit it, you didn't expect a proposal."

"I admit it, and will add that am deeply disappointed. I really looked forward to seeing Yugi's hissy fit." She replied, stretching lazily "I'm almost afraid they'll revert to their old selves after this!"

"Oh, no, they won't. Believe me, Tea's silly, but when she does catch up on it, she doesn't let go easily."

"I suppose you're right." She sighed "And, he didn't have a ring, meaning that they'll have to wait until he can get one, meaning that she'll go through the catalogues of every jewelry store in town before she chooses, and then there will be the engagement party, the planning of the wedding…"

"With the gown, and the hall, and the minister, and the music, and the napkins, and the bouquet and the little fluffy things on the bridesmaid's dresses." He finished for her, refusing to be fazed by her sarcasm "Yes, it will provide ample gossip material for the next decade or so."

"They might actually leave you alone." She cooed

"So…" Seto began "Do you feel proud of yourself tonight?"

"I never got you to dance, how can I?" she asked, incredulous

"I won't."

"Come on, they're closing. Just one last time. You've been lounging on your ass all night, how can you be comfy?"

"I am not."

"Then come and shake a leg with me."

"I refuse."

"Come on! It's the bachata. You can't get this one wrong!" she squeaked, already slipping into her heels and getting up to pull him out to the dance floor. One look at the few remaining dancers had Seto retreating

"Absolutely not! This is beyond inappropriate!"

"Some on, there are no paparazzi here! Oblige me, just this once." She begged, while undoing her braid swiftly and letting her heavy hair cascade down her back. While she had danced, a few of the buttons on the bottom part of her shirt had opened, revealing her toned stomach. To such a vision, how could he refuse?

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

**What you've always wanted**

The card arrived one cold December morning, just as Sharona was about to get out of her place, thermos in one hand, a full handbag in the other. She bent down to pick it up and smiled upon recognizing Seto's handwriting on the side.

"Finally." She smiled, tucking it in her portfolio before she left, running over mud puddles and snow heaps towards her school.

An invitation for the promised date came as a miracle, given how busy both had been lately. His end of term, hers…exams and concerts had made it very hard for them to meet, even as friends, and whenever they were together, the farthest they'd been to a girlfriend/boyfriend behavior was him, slinging his hand over her shoulder and bringing her closer to him. On occasion, they hid underneath the same umbrella, but generally, he had a big problem with PDA. Not that she didn't mind, but there was a difference. Both liked to think there was one.

And if the problems with the adjustment of schedules hadn't been enough, Mark Stevens had apparently taken a sudden interest in the arts, giving up on the drama club in favor of the drawing class. There had never been so many broken hearts in the theater since the performance of "Beautiful bodies".

The first time Seto saw him, standing in the room, chatting freely with his feminist buddies, he nearly threw a raging fit. _Who does that guy think he is?_ He thought. _What does he want from me? He better not be turning the people here against me too, because I'll…He better not be making eyes on the model!_ Thank God, his colleague artists were mostly economy majors, or undergraduate law students, which meant that they were _slightly_ more informed than the usual lot that fainted over that macho/sensitive male act Mark threw for the representatives of the fair sex.

Per instance, it didn't take just telling Baroque from Renaissance to impress them. Those girls could tell sfumato from actual blurring, studied the works of artists in comparison to whom Michelangelo was a God, and overall Seto had been feeling like the least informed participant in the course, until Mark came, that is. He'd actually felt guilty because his lack of passion for the subject made him a fraud, but at least now he'd made up with the necessary studies, saving him from the fate that his other male colleague was suffering now. There was actually a couple of girls that had decided to take on Women's studies, turning them immediately into his mortal enemies. Of course, they didn't like Seto either, but he wasn't imposing himself on them, which was already making him better in their eyes. On his part, he was just glad that there was some justice in this world.

When Sharona walked in, clad in one of those outfits people wore on Kung-Fu movies, Seto wondered if she would start striking poses from "Tiger and Dragon" for them. Luckily, their teacher just wanted to give them a lesson in sketching, thus she would move around and they would do pencil drawings of her. He gave the flowing yoga pants she wore and approving look as she sat herself on the floor Turkish style. But he never expected that for the next two hours she managed to twist herself into what seemed a bazillion different asana without once taking a break and seemingly breathe.

Somewhere in the middle of the exercise the teacher decided to go out and search for some appropriate music, leaving the students to their own devices. Seto, who'd given up trying to sketch the muscles shifting under the thin fabric of her attire had settled on dabbling spirals and lines that vaguely resembled the poses she was in. The current one, The Dog, was just one long line, starting low and shooting up at the sky, which was definitely an easy one. While he was waiting for her to change, he amused himself by listening to her conversation with the rest of the artists.

"God, how did you manage to do that!" Karin was referring, of course, to her previous feat, getting into The Grasshopper, which was her lying on her stomach, with both her feet thrust up in the air as if she was doing a backwards candle without the support of her arms.

"Practice." She replied, her voice straining a little. Ah, apparently the Dog required a person to stretch their muscles to a point where the air was a luxury. "And a lot of patience." She breathed when she effortlessly shifted in the Cat. Seto contemplated her for a second, before drawing something that looked like an arrow head pointing up at the sky. Then he gave her another look and added two small flat lines on both ends of the triangle without foundation that he had made. And then he bolded a little the line that presented her legs. Didn't her calves hurt when she pressed her heels fully to the ground?

"But when did you learn them?" Mark offered, trying to be friendly. Sharona didn't look at him when she replied.

"My rich uncle wanted to get rid of me so that he could fuck around with his secretary, so he sent me to a boarding school in India. That's where I got a nose piercing and learned how to make myself a henna tattoo."

"Both fade away, I imagine." Seto said sardonically.

"You're lucky." Sarah, one of his table mates chimed in, completely obliterating his comment with her loud voice "I could never do something like that."

"Why?" Sharona looked at her in disbelief as she moved into the Cobra asana. Seto drew a face on the Dog asana, consisted of five sharp lines. Then, he added a few basic curves. In the end he also gave the figure a swingy pony tail. To his surprise, it actually looked like her.

"Why?! Look at how fat I am!" Sarah squeaked. Seto drew some lines around the legs to represent her pants. No, swingier lines. They're not form-fitting…

"That does not matter. Come here." She urged her. Sarah got up reluctantly and went up to her. Under Sharona's guidance, she managed to sit down Turkish style and touch the floor with her forehead. "Breathe in…and breathe out. See, it's not so hard! You have to be at peace with your body to achieve this. I bet our handsome guys there won't be able to do this without throwing their waists."

"That's it!" Seto slammed his pencil down, got up and marched towards her "I'll give you throw my waist." Sure enough, as soon as he tried completing what he'd just seen Sarah do, he felt a sharp pang, just between his hips bones. For a while he froze over the floor, contemplating his next move, when he felt a strong, un-manicured finger press down hard around the source of the pain. Slowly, it went away and allowed him to straighten his back.

"Care to try, Mr. Stevens?" Sharona asked, her eyebrow quirked inquisitively. When he shook his head, she replied "Good, because if you did, I wouldn't be able to detangle you without the help of a professional masseur. You guys don't take good care of yourselves. Come on, Mr. Kaiba, up you go!"

How to describe that pose? He drew a lying eight, and right over it, a thick, bold exclamation mark.

* * *

"So he asked you out?! That's awesome!"

"I'm not entirely sure…"

"Nonsense! I bet he's already so hot for you he can't handle the waiting!"

"Actually, it was me who suggested we go somewhere casual for the first date."

"Never mind that! He was the one who suggested you guys are an item, right?!"

Just for the record, Sharona wasn't talking to Tea, or another one of her quasi-girlfriends she had gotten during her stay in her three schools and college. But her boss was nothing if not over-reacting.

"Alright, but my break is nearly over, so I'll have to go now…"

"Wait! You haven't told me what you're going to wear, Sharona!"

"Boss…"

"Do you need money? I'll wire you some! You'll probably need a new dress, and shoes, and a bra too!"

"You're making it sound like I never wear one!"

"Whatever! I want details afterwards! No hoity-toity stuff! I want to know everything so that I can use it against him!"

"Boss! My break's nearly over!"

"Oh, Sally-chan called."

"What? Why didn't you tell me earlier!? And don't call her Sally-chan, she hates diminutives!"

"As I found out. She called me several very unsavory names before she realized that she was running out of money."

"Yeah, as far as I know, they don't have a phone in NY…" Sharona drawled "Damn it…and she wouldn't let me wire her some money."

"She's as fierce as ever. Anyways, from what I gathered, she says she's sorry that she can't make it to your recital, and she wants to remind you that everyone will be waiting to see you at New Years in Patch. Where is Patch, by the way, Sharona?"

"Very far away, Boss!"

"It would be the first time in two years that you'll be seeing your mates, dear! Why won't you take me with you?!"

"Boss, I'm late. I'll call you back!"

"But where is it?! It's not on the…" She hung up before he could finish that.

Of course her boss wouldn't know where Patch was, that village practically didn't exist. Well…it existed for the privileged few who knew where to look, but she wasn't entirely sure she was ready to introduce her Boss to her friends yet. But…that same thing went for Seto as well. She didn't know if he had plans for Christmas, but from what she gathered from her conversations with his assistant, and the little details she'd fished out of him herself, she had deduced that he wouldn't go anywhere. Maybe…but it was too early for that, even if their first date was well scheduled.

She sighed, sitting on one of the chairs like a good girl, doing her best not to wrinkle her white robes. Luckily, the room was heated enough for her to pose as Melpomena, the Greek Muse of Tragic, but she couldn't help but feel a pair of eyes digging into her in a way that was most certainly unfriendly. Mark Stevens, that bastard! She didn't know how, or why he decided to take those drawing courses instead of kicking a ball around like a good assembly-line meatballer, but she didn't like the way he was looking at her, and since she'd volunteered for this job, there was no getting out of it anytime soon. The only other person in the room who could save her was Seto, and he didn't look any more inclined to demonstrate some sort of interest in the matters.

Oh, well…it was better off that way, she thought. She knew that he wasn't the type to go off into PDA all of the sudden, and he'd get a lot of shit from the others in the course for being a "possessive patriarchic pig". Still, it would've been nice to see him protect her, just a little bit.

* * *

The lobby of the Ambassador Hotel was nothing like the one of its LA counterpart, but it was still pretty damn fabulous. Sharona rounded the receptionist's desk and walked gracefully into the bar. Seto had texted to tell her that he would be late and ask her to wait for him, and it took all she had not to order a margarita then and there.

Steeling herself, she sat down on the bar and smothered the nonexistent wrinkles on her dress pants. She had to admit to herself, she did look pretty damn good. Now all she had to do is calm down and…

"Well, well, fancy seeing you here." A chuckle resounded behind her and she didn't turn around, not letting Mark see the look of distaste that etched across her face "Will you accept a drink from me, Sharona? Surely you will have to look at me then…"

"That depends. Are you old enough to even consume that beverage?" She asked, turning just slightly to flash him an annoyed look

"What difference does it make? You will most certainly consume it with that idiot Kaiba." He smiled, sitting down in front of her "Personally, I would say that you could do so much better, but the choice is yours. If you prefer genius virgins, I can easily cover for him." Mark winked.

"Thanks, but I think I'll decline." She motioned at the waiter to pour her a Screwdriver…hold the vodka

"Why's that?" Mark asked

"Between two fast runners, I always pick the one who could hold a civilized conversation with me. You just lost that privilege." She replied, sipping her orange juice "Besides, I'm not very partial to guys who aren't faithful to their girlfriends."

He slid closer and breathed in her ear: "You don't know what you're missing out on."

"Little kids shouldn't play out of their league." She finished her drink in one long gulp and stood up, flicking her hair over her shoulder just as Kaiba came up behind her and placed a hand low on her back.

"Sorry I'm late, dear." He purred in her ear, shooting Mark a 'back-off' glare.

"No problem, darling." Sharona purred and, without a second look, let him guide her towards the elevators. Neither spoke, until they were in the relative privacy of the cage.

"Was he bothering you?" Seto spat, his eyes glaring at the door as if they could somehow punish Mark for his insolence. The audacity some people had! His fists were clenching and unclenching quickly, and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Nothing I can't handle." She replied nonchalantly, rubbing his back soothingly "He can't do anything anyways."

Her attitude made him turn towards her and eye her up and down, and she flinched slightly, shrinking back from his gaze. The examination wasn't filled with appreciation, and it made her squirmy and uncomfortable. As if he disapproved…

Seto did disapprove. Sharona's nonchalance reminded him that she was, in some aspects, much older and much more experienced than him. It was frightening and worrying at the same time, and he wasn't sure if he liked the implications behind that. Sure, he despised it when people treated a lady with disrespect, but it always said something when the lady was completely calm with the attention.

As if sensing his troubles, she cupped his jaw gently and told him calmly: "Seto, he's all talk. Obviously there is some silly competition going on in his head, but it's too immature to even warrant anger on your part. I'm ignoring him-so should you."

Seto sighed and leaned into her palm, kissing it slowly. "Yes…you're right…"

"Let's forget about it, alright?"

"I don't think we could. But let's enjoy our night out instead." He said, offering her his hand and maneuvering her in the restaurant.

* * *

Two hours, a pitcher of red wine an some excellent food later, they were making their way through the city towards her place. It was amazing how waiters would ignore your age if you had the money, Seto thought…though Sharona had provided an ID card showing that she was completely legal to dissipate their worries.

The weather was incredibly soft and warm, and they found themselves slowing their pace, enjoying it to the last. They were content in the silence, throwing in a comment here and there to keep up the small talk. It wasn't until they were at her doorstep that he felt his gut clench. Their first 'real' date, and he'd been so obsessed by that idiot Mark Stevens that he couldn't even give her his full attention. He felt like a real prick, and the notion of going back to those idiots made him sick.

Seto looked at Sharona, who was playing with her keys, obviously wondering if she ought to invite him in or just say goodnight. He really was stupid…a sudden desire to make it up overcame him, but he soon realized he had no freaking idea what to do.

Once again, she sensed the problem and reached out her hand to him: "Hey….don't worry. I had a good time."

"Yeah…" he said, rubbing circles around her palm. Suddenly, it occurred to him that he had never before seen Sharona so…fragile before. As if she was afraid.

_Nobody's asking you to give it up to her_, his inner voice said, _but you could kiss her. That's fairly simple. _

He pulled her hand, bringing her almost flush against his body, wrapped his arms around her and then put his lips on hers….

Ok…now what?

_I've got squat._

Traitor.

Just as he was about to panic, her mouth moved and then she took his bottom lip between her teeth, nibbling it gently before running her tongue over it. Seto's throat tensed and he leaned in, mimicking her movement and changing the angle of the kiss so that their noses didn't crush. It was silly, it was awkward, and in no time, he was hungry for more. She pulled back just to get a little air before launching to kiss him, moving against him fervently. As if she was dying of thirst…he definitely knew he felt like that.

His hands were in her hair, holding her in place, and he definitely didn't feel like letting her go anytime soon. However, he was fairly certain he couldn't stay like this forever, so, little by little, he loosened his grip. Sharona pulled back, and by God, she was like a vision-lips chipped and puffy, hair disheveled, her eyes heavy-lidded and dark, she was looking so much like a temptation he didn't know what to do.

Seto settled on the best possible option and hugged her tightly, his hands going down on her back. "I don't want to let you go…I don't want to go back yet…" he confessed weakly, feeling himself choking back an emotion he couldn't quite identify

"You don't have to." She replied "You can stay the night."

"Thank you…I would like that, very much…" he said, kissing the top of her head and letting her open the door, before following her inside. To hell with the rules, with logic, with everything-if anything happened to night, he was going to have it. He was too drunk, too tired, too emotionally exhausted to keep the façade going. However, he needn't have worried. As soon as their bodies were horizontal on her bed and their heads touched the pillows, their eyes closed and sleep reclaimed them for a very, very long time.

* * *

**A/N-REVIEW!**


	15. Chapter 15

**El Scorcho**

"I know, I know sweetie…yes, it is bad, I know…yes, yes…" the sound of Sharona's voice woke him up and Kaiba winced against the bright light. It took him a few goes to figure out he was at her place, and another minute to realize that she was talking on the phone. Good, because if one of her girlfriends, or, heaven forbid, Tea, had come to whine to her this early in the morning, he was going to literally tear her head off.

He got up, frowning at the clock that told him that it was most definitely not early, and then stretched. Last night's events played in his head quickly-the little run-in Sharona had had with Mark, the date, their conversation, their walking back home, their kiss…him practically begging to stay the night, not standing the idea of going back to those idiots in the dorm. Oh, yes, it had been an interesting night.

It had been even more interesting that he'd passed out almost immediately after they'd made it through the door. His face became pale with anger and he slumped back on the bed, feeling every bit like an idiot. Talk about embarrassing moments. Women went nuclear if a guy fell asleep while having sex, what was left for those that didn't even get around to the foreplay part of things. Damn it!

Steeling himself, he walked in the living room to see Sharona still babbling on the phone. Her hair was pinned back and she was pretty much wearing nothing but an oversized T-shirt and some knee socks. She gave him a little smile, but continued talking on her phone, whispering reassuring words to whomever was breaking down on the other end of the line. Seto decided not to bother her until she was done, settling down on her couch and enjoying catching a glimpse of her blue boy shorts from time to time.

He shifted as soon as he realized that was a bad idea and turned his gaze towards the table. There was a framed picture sitting on it, probably something she'd picked up in the middle of her conversation and then put down again. Carefully, he picked it up and studied it-five girls in different attires were grinning at the camera, giving the victory signs with their fingers while their eyes were scrunched to avoid the blinding light of the sun. Seto almost recognized Sharona, with her hair curled a little like Bettie Page's, and in a funny looking dress. The others, he'd never seen in his entire life.

"Oh, God, I wonder why I didn't get another picture." She sighed dramatically, joining him on the couch and resting her head on his shoulder "I really, really hate my hair here, but I don't have any with all of the girls on it."

"Those are your friends then?" Wow. One of those girls barely looked twelve.

"Yeah. I was on the phone with one of them just now. She didn't get that scholarship she was aiming for." Sharona ran her fingers through her hair, releasing it from the elastic bands and letting it fall around her face.

"Is she ok?" not that he cared, but if one of her friends wasn't fine, chances were Sharona wasn't going to be that fine either.

"She will be. She takes some consolation in the fact that we're all meeting soon."

"Huh? They're coming here?" his arm sneaked around her shoulders and played with a lock of hair. Funny…a second ago he was flustered at the sight of her panties and now he felt perfectly at lease holding her close.

"No, I'm visiting the village. We're spending Christmas and New Years together." Just like that? She said is to nonchalantly, as if last night had been nothing. Feeling his brows furrow, Seto roughly pushed back and glared at her.

"What do you mean, you're spending Christmas and New Years with them? You're not staying here?"

"Um, no." she looked at him as if he was nuts "Of course not."

"Of course not? What does that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I'm most certainly not spending it with Pegasus. Christmas is a family holiday, therefore I will spend it with my family. You know, it makes perfectly good sense."

"Yeah, but…"

"But what? I'm not going to be alone for the holidays!"

"But what about me?" gosh, he sounded like a toddler who was refused his candies

"What about you? Aren't you going home too?" Sharona looked shocked "I would've thought that since you practically hate this place, you would want to go and check on Mokuba."

"Mokuba is fine." Seto rolled his eyes "In fact, he already arranged to spend the holidays with a family of a friend on Hawaii."

"But don't you want to meet him? Seto, money can't buy you happiness, and you're his brother!" Now she wasn't the one making sense. Why was she so hype on family themes, he wondered. Last night, she had shied away from any personal questions that might have come up and now she was freaking out because he just admitter he didn't plan on going back to Japan."

"You misunderstand, Sharona. Yes, I am his brother, I would like to see him, and yes, I'm sure he would be ecstatic to have me there. However, we will grow tired of each other soon and he would ultimately regret having cancelled his plans." He ran his fingers through her hair again "I was actually…well…I do have a lot of work…"

She just stared him blankly, before finishing for him "…and you hoped I would have work too?"

"You could say that."

Sharona's eyes darkened and she suddenly seemed very remorseful. "I'm sorry, Seto. I guess I should've asked."

"Never mind that…." He sighed "You couldn't have known and you probably made your plans long before I asked you to be my girlfriend. You should have fun."

"Well…" she frowned "I guess we could get you an extra ticket…I am going by train…that is, if you want to go."

"You wouldn't mind?" when did he become so clingy all of the sudden? _Maybe around the time she became the only tolerable person around, dumbass_.

"I don't, of course, but…it's pretty rural. I'm not sure if your cell phone would work there, or your laptop…" Sharona tossed a lock of her hair over her shoulder and pondered about it "And the girls would be there…you think you'll handle it?"

"Of course I will." He stated, dignified. It was just four girls! How hard could it be?

* * *

Actually, it turned out to be very, very difficult, and they hadn't even reached the village yet.

Seto cringed and tried not to curse as he followed Sharona through the dusty road. On the day of their departure, two days before Christmas Eve, she roused him early to catch a train that took them through a couple of states, then they moved onto another train that led them to a totally rural little town. From there, they had caught a bus that drove almost the entire night, and then she made him get up to get off at a stop that was, literally, in the middle of nowhere.

To say that he was conflicted would have been an understatement. He was cranky from the lack of sleep, of course, and he was definitely angry at Sharona for her chirpy attitude, but as he watched the desert sun rise higher and higher in the sky, he couldn't help but fight back the panic. They'd been marching for an hour now, walking in what seemed to be no direction. She wasn't even using a compass, and he'd lost sight of the road a long time ago. _What was she thinking?_

In times like these it became painfully aware how accustomed to money he had become. Sure, he swam his thirty laps in the college pool and worked out hard to keep his body in shape, but the three square meals, the soft bed, the comforts of having money were things he'd surprisingly started taking for granted. She'd instructed him to pack a backpack so that he wouldn't have trouble with moving, and thank God he listened to her-it not only would've looked ridiculous dragging a case through the desert, it would have been downright dangerous.

Still, it wouldn't have been such a big problem if they took his car. The thing was faster than a train or bus combined, and it was equipped with the latest high-tech GPS navigation systems that weren't even on the market yet. But no! She knew exactly where she was going and she was damned if he deterred her from her goal.

Actually, she was pretty damn confident, and when a tall mountain with an Indian village in it emerged from practically nowhere, he started believing that Sharona did have things under control. That theory failed, however, when he realized that the village was quite positively empty. Dead.

She'd brought him to a ghost town and she didn't even seem to notice. Quite nonchalantly, she kept moving through the empty streets until she found what looked like a staircase that led towards the very heart of the mountain. She'd gone strangely quiet, as if she'd entered a trance, and he suddenly found himself very reluctant to shake her from it. He was quiet too, as if breaking the silence would cause some sort of horrible thing to happen to both of them.

Surprisingly, the staircase was so well polished that he could've sworn people had walked down it since forever. They reached the bottom, and he was surprised to find himself in a spacious underground chamber, with a small lake taking up the center. Sharona knelt there, drank from the water and proceeded to move through a corridor on the other side of the place. Seto hurried to do as she did, although for some reason he broke out in cold sweat. He ran after her, passed the door, and suddenly, he was blinded by light.

_Mr. Kaiba, I have some news…_

_Seto…Seto…_

_Kaiba, what happened!_

_Now, Kaiba-boy, what is your decision?_

_Seto…Seto_…SETO!

* * *

Sharona's voice crept in the memories, anchoring his fleeting mind and helping him out. His eyes snapped open and he took a greedy gulp of air, as if he'd just been drowning. His eyes zapped around, finally settling on the face of the woman in his arms, and he became aware of two things: one, they were no longer in the tunnel, and two, in his delirium, he'd somehow managed to grab her around the waist…how embarrassing.

"Sorry, Seto." Sharona smiled "I guess I should've warned you. This happens a lot."

"What happens a lot?" He asked, releasing her before realizing he'd somehow ended sitting on soft grass. He turned around and saw noting but a rocky wall.

"The memories…they flood in the first few times." She helped him stand "I didn't register this would happen, I'm terribly sorry."

"I will never understand…" his words died in his throat as he looked around, taking in the sight before him.

They were no longer in the tunnel, but that didn't mean they were out of the cave. As he looked around, he realized that the rocky walls extended higher and higher and even hid the sky.

From the looks of it, they were in a huge cavern, deep inside the mountain. All around them were plants and trees and grass, growing wildly and freely. In spite of the fact that it was the dead of the winter, the air was tropically hot and they stripped out of most of their clothes while they made their way through the path. But the most surprising thing was when they finally came out in the open and he witnessed what Patch Village really was.

The Indian buildings and the narrow streets were just like those of the ghost town above, only they were lively and full of people. What was more, they were all dressed in modern, sometimes even fashionable clothes. There were almost no natives…

And whenever he looked up, he'd catch sight of what seemed to be a giant pillar of light that came out of the center of the forest, shooting up like a fountain towards the hole in the cavern wall. The light and heat were mesmerizing, and he had to focus lest he got another déjà vu episode. Memories he didn't know he possessed skirted around the edge of his consciousness and he was already fighting them back hard.

What was this?

Sharona seemed oblivious to his discomfort and moved through the streets quickly, energetically. They came out on a little square, and before he could say 'surprise', she was shrieking enthusiastically, throwing her bag on the ground and rushing through the place to greet a blonde, heavily pregnant woman. To say that they were happy to see each other would've been an understatement-they shrieked, cried, and held each other in a bone crushing (yet somehow gentle) hug before starting to babble like sugar-hyped kids.

Seto stood there, looking much like an owl that had somehow just gotten fucked. The Sharona he was seeing now was a far cry from the composed, cool person he knew, and he wasn't entirely sure if he didn't like the change. She seemed absolutely animated, talking to the other woman and kneeling down to kiss and pat her baby fat. Suddenly, a guy with long black hair and silly clothes emerged from one of the cafes and ran to greet Sharona, while giving the pregnant woman gentle kiss on the lips.

"Well, aren't you going to drop that bag?" A chirpy, sweet voice asked, and it took all of his self-control not to jump and scream like a little girl. Turning around slowly, he came face to face with a tall, lanky girl. Behind her, a tall redhead was making her way through the crowd, carrying two sets of bags.

"Sally! Millie!" Sharona yelled from behind him and rushed through the square to give the two girls similar greetings. The brown-haired one answered just as enthusiastically, and the redhead just smacked Sharona across the back of her head and told her to 'Stop being so fucking stupid'. This was too much. Too much emotion! Too much color! There were so many things happening at the same time, all pulling him in different directions and demanding his attention. He watched the banter between Sharona and the redhead, when the couple from earlier came up next to him. The blonde hugged the brown haired girl and the two smiled at each other fondly.

"Oh, Christ! I've completely forgotten!" Sharona turned towards him "Seto, come here. Guys, I want you to meet Seto." She hugged him through the waist, immediately drawing everyone's attention to him, and before he could even mumble a 'hello' he was shaking hands and exchanging welcomes. They talked so fast that by the time they were seated in the restaurant, Seto already knew everything about them.

The blonde woman was Ellie and the guy who always seemed to have his hands glued onto her was her husband Ryu. Apparently, they ran a restaurant in the village and were permanent residents. They were expecting their first baby, which was apparently the talk of the village given how many people passed by. Sharona wasn't much different, and she switched between congratulating Ellie and scolding Ryu. In between all the baby talk, the other two managed to introduce themselves. The brown haired girl was Millie, and she happened to be Ellie's little sister. The redhead was Sally and apparently she acted as Millie's guardian while she studied in the city.

The four girls…correction, women, had a very strange relationship, he noticed. Not only were they completely and utterly at ease with each other, but they seemed to have no trouble with trust, which was a miracle if he ever saw one. They were all so different. Ellie, though obviously consumed with her new role as a wife and a mother, was cheeky and sweet. Millie was much more devilish, though the impression of impishness was softened by her heart shaped face and long brown hair. Sally looked like she'd just escaped from prison, with different earrings pierced through nearly every part of her ear, visible ink lines from tattoos marring the skin of her neck and shoulders, and racy curses accompanying nearly every word that came out of her mouth. They were such a far cry from Sharona's delicate beauty and quiet sophistication that his head hurt.

Just as he thought he'd settled things in, a fifth woman came to join them, this one with waist-long black hair.

"Finally got out of bed, Lilly?" Sharona teased, and her friend promptly gave her the finger.

"Fuck you, Sharona, you're just not getting laid enough." She snapped and looked over at the table, raising an eyebrow at Seto

"Oh, right. Lilly, this is Seto, my…" she paused, looking at him

"I'm her boyfriend." He stated calmly, surprised at the ease with which that came out

"My boyfriend. Seto, this nymphomaniac here is Lilly, one of my friends. She married one of the locals six months ago and they're still getting through the honeymoon period."

He would've liked a honeymoon period for them. However, Seto was well aware that it wasn't going to happen.

He listened as the girls chatted and exchanged news. Ellie spent most of the time sitting behind the counter, taking care of orders, but Ryu didn't have much time to hang around, giving Seto a pat on the shoulder while leaving. Curious, he turned to the rest of the table:

"Does he make deliveries or something?" it did seem a little irresponsible to leave a pregnant woman managing a restaurant. His answer came when Millie stood up and fastened an apron.

"No, but he has to meet some guys who are arriving." She said "Everyone will come, right, sis?"

"Yeah." Ellie said, cheerfully "Yoh send invitations to nearly everyone, and they all said they would come. Ren's even brought company this year."

"Really?" Sharona piped in, forgetting for a moment the thoughts about babies and cradles and teddy bears. "Someone we know."

"No. His fiancée." The blonde explained. "And I'm fairly certain June will want to bring Pai Long, so I made the necessary arrangements for their lodgings. We aim to please, after all." She flashed them a brilliant smile. "You should be ready, Kaiba-kun, because the guys will grill you as soon as they get here."

"Guys?" he turned to Sharona, completely baffled "Why would they want to grill me?"

"Because Sharona's the last of our group that doesn't have a boyfriend or ever fell in love." Lilly explained "Well, the second last, but Sally here pretty much has us convinced that she's a dyke."

"Shut the fuck up, Lilly. Just because you get to suck cock all day doesn't mean I need to drink cum to live." The redhead snapped, before turning towards Ellie "Can you give me the key to the house? I wanna drop the stuff off and take a shower, I feel like shit from all this travel."

"Sure." Ellie grabbed something off the counter and tossed them at her. "Why don't you take Kaiba-kun and Sharona too, you guys will be sharing a lodgings."

"Yeah, whatever. Get a move on, pansy-boy, we have a way to go." She said, venom dripping from her voice.

* * *

Seto and Sharona said goodbye to the three other girls and followed Sally down the street. Most of the walk was spent in silence, with Sharona asking Sally about how she was getting along and the latter answering quickly, tartly. He understood pretty quickly, from Sharona's demeanor to his own reactions, that cynics was Sally's preferred method of communication.

The house they were accommodated to was small, in the outskirts (so to speak) of the city, a fifteen minute walk from Ellie and Ryu's restaurant. There were three bedrooms, a common room, a kitchen and a bathroom, all modestly furnished, but not lacking a sense of homeliness. Sally promptly threw her belongings in one of the bedrooms and told Sharona and Seto to spread out in whichever they chose.

"Don't you mean that we each pick a room?" Seto asked, already pissed at her incivility "We're only three people, after all."

"I doubt Millie's gonna keep to her decision to crash in at Ryu and Ellie's." Sally said slyly "Those two don't lay off the sex for anything in the world, and she's gonna need her sleep. What's more, too many people pass through that place." She winked at Sharona consciously. The latter just gave her friend a stern look.

"Sally, will you please spare us your sarcasm for five minutes. Millie is perfectly capable of handling Lyserg."

"Who's Lyserg? And why would you think she'd get any sleep here?" He knew better than to get in the middle of friend's quarrels, but Sally's biting at every word actually wore him down. Not to mention that he was a guy, and as a guy he was going to defend his masculinity, damn it!

"Oh, I don't think she'll worry about that." Without another word, she promptly took her top off and tossed it aside, before sauntering over to the bathroom, shimmying out of her jeans on the way. Kaiba had the presence of mind to look away, but not fast enough in order not to see that the woman went completely commando.

"I don't think I'll be able to handle this." He said, turning towards Sharona. The blonde just leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"We'll just see about that." She said, her enigmatic wink making him more confused than he had been this whole day.

* * *

**A/N-Merry Christmas everyone. Be dear and leave me a review!**


End file.
